by Web Editor | Oct 16, 2015 | News
Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) is one of our favorite materials; it’s made from a renewable resource, it sequesters carbon dioxide, it’s lighter than concrete and it’s lovely to look at. What’s not to love? In most of the CLT projects so far its use has been downplayed, thanks to the effectiveness of the concrete and steel people who try and convince people that it is not as good as concrete. That’s why this new project in Montreal is so interesting: It accentuates the positive, the virtues of wood construction. Even its name, Arbora, alludes to wood.
It’s also big. The Arbora project in Montreal is claimed to be the largest residential CLT project in the world, made up of 434 condo, townhouse and rental units in three eight story buildings, all made from sustainably harvested wood turned into panels by Nordic CLT. It’s designed by Lemay+CHA.
But what I really like is the fact that they are really building on the strengths of wood instead of trying to hide it. The developers, in their marketing, discuss the renewable aspects of wood construction, the strength and weight advantages, the thermal and fire resistance, the accuracy.
Prefabricated panels cut to the required dimensions are delivered to the site, and the openings for doors and windows are cut to an accuracy of one tenth of a millimeter using computer numerical control (CNC) precision machinery. Everything is planned and organized so the building can be erected quickly.
From TreeHugger.com: https://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/worlds-largest-cross-laminated-timber-apartment-complex-being-built-montreal.html?utm_source=WIT101615&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=WeekInTrees
by Web Editor | Oct 9, 2015 | News
Plyboo bamboo architectural plywood and paneling products manufacturer Smith & Fong Co. has launched a full line of high-end architectural bamboo and palm panel products for the India market, according to company founder Dan Smith.
“India has a rich history in design and architecture and the level of sophistication and appreciation is there,” Smith said. “We believe that our panel offerings will appeal to both contemporary and traditional tastes and also strike a chord with India’s growing awareness of sustainable and renewable design materials.”
Smith & Fong’s India launch includes its Plyboo, bamboo and Durapalm palm branded lines of decorative panels. The company chose Bangalore as its home base, with offices there through an exclusive representation agreement with ASA Global Enterprises to market and distribute the lines in India.
Included in the offerings are the Reveal, PlybooSound and Linear Line Collections in bamboo. The Reveal Collection represents panels that are richly carved and textured and the PlybooSound Collection offers aesthetics along with noise reduction components. The Linear Line Collection offers patterns from contemporary architectural lines to looks that resemble a multi-colored, hand-woven textile.
The palm collection under the Durapalm brand includes PalmWoven, a traditional woven motif and DecoPalm, a contemporary blocked, linear pattern with flat panel looks that express the rich warmth and beauty of the natural material.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/plywood-plyboo-maker-enters-india-market?ss=wood,wood,wood_of_the_month,wood,pricing_supply,wood,components_sourcing,wood,panel_supply,wood,wood_veneer,wood,lumber_quotes_charts
by Web Editor | Oct 5, 2015 | News
Oak Hill Veneer Inc. will invest almost $2 million to expand its operations in Troy, PA. When completed, the spliced hardwood veneer manufacturer said it expects to add 73 full-time jobs over the next three years, more than double its current size of 62 employees.
Plans call for the construction of a 15,000-square-foot building and adding a new line of veneer splicing equipment. In addition, the company said it will lease a nearby 35,000-square-foot building where it will install a new line of manufacturing equipment to produce veneer board. News of the expansion was announced Sept. 30.
Oak Hill Veneer is one of 18 companies owned by Spanish wood products firm Grupo Losan. Founded in 2008, Oak Hill Veneer specializes in cutting and splicing various thicknesses of veneer in a variety of species, including oak, cherry, maple and walnut, in accordance with Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification requisites, according to the corporate website.
“Oak Hill Veneer, Inc. is very excited about our upcoming expansion project,” said Amy Jackson, project coordinator. “This project has been months in the making and we are finally able to make an idea a reality. The state’s assistance will be used towards the purchase of the new equipment and to help with the construction of the new building at the Oak Hill Veneer Inc. site. These upcoming projects will create many jobs and bring more business to the community.”
The company received assistance from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development that includes $146,000 in Job Creation Tax Credits and a $225,000 Pennsylvania First Program grant. The project also was coordinated by the Governor’s Action Team in collaboration with the Office of International Business Development and the Northern Tier Regional Planning & Development Commission.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/oak-hill-veneer-plans-2-million-expansion?ss=wood,wood,wood_of_the_month,wood,pricing_supply,wood,components_sourcing,wood,panel_supply,wood,wood_veneer,wood,lumber_quotes_charts
by Web Editor | Sep 30, 2015 | News
The British Columbia provincial government says it is investing $2.2 million in the Wood First program to promote the use of B.C. wood both locally and internationally, and help advance innovative wood-building systems and value-added wood products.
The funding is being awarded to six industry trade associations and institutions with proven records in research, development and marketing of wood products and skills training to carry out Wood First activities. They include:
• BC Wood Specialties Group – $558,910
• Canadian Wood Council – $770,109
• University of British Columbia – Centre for Advanced Wood Processing – $359,166
• University of British Columbia – Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability – $65,000
• FPInnovations – $428,928
• Design Build Research Institute – $51,762
Funding from the Province will be supplemented with additional funds provided by industry.
Wood First is focused on advancing the use of wood in B.C. Since the program was launched in 2009, wood use in the mid-rise and non-residential construction sectors is increasing and recognition of wood as a preferred building material continues to grow. A recent survey of B.C. engineers, architects and builders confirmed that 40% are increasing the use of structural wood and 77% believe B.C. is well positioned to export its products and knowledge.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/canadian-news/british-columbia-invests-22-million-promote-wood-buildings-products?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news
by Web Editor | Sep 28, 2015 | News
Wood Products Industry Releases ‘Reuse Wood’ Website
The American Wood Council (AWC) and Canadian Wood Council (CWC) have partnered with Building Materials Reuse Association (BMRA) to develop an online North American directory outlining reuse and recycling options for wood and wood products. The website can be found at: ReuseWood.org.
“For wood products, there has historically been a lack of awareness of the opportunities to recycle and reuse wood products, and thereby extend their useful life. We are aiming to change that,” said AWC President & CEO Robert Glowinski. “Our industry wants to do its part when it comes to the full life-cycle impact of our products. It’s our hope that this directory will help educate builders, designers and consumers on the many opportunities to salvage, recycle or reuse wood products, in turn reducing waste.”
“Various construction sector stakeholders are increasingly being called upon to balance functionality and cost objectives with reduced environmental impacts on the built environment” explained CWC President Michael Giroux. “This online resource is one of the ways the wood industry is taking ownership in the areas of reuse and recycle – affirming the renewable qualities of wood and wood products, and assisting the design/construction communities in reaching their green objectives.”
Features of the website include:
- The business directory is accessible via both map and list, with easy sorting capabilities according to target categories (location, services provided, etc).
- Individual listing pages show the contact information, location and available services for each business.
- The sustainable wood guide includes useful information and articles on the different wood products and the opportunities for wood reuse or recycling.
From the American Wood Council: awc.org.
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by Web Editor | Sep 25, 2015 | News
Today, ARAUCO North America announced plans to build a new particleboard mill located in Grayling, Michigan, to produce 424 million ft2 (750,000m3)/year of panels, along with full lamination capabilities to support the Prism TFL decorative surfacing program.
This $325 million investment will be the single largest continuous particleboard press in North America, and one of the highest capacity presses in the world. Ground-breaking is estimated for late 2016, with the rollout of the first panel during the latter part of 2018.
This investment will generate approximately 250 direct permanent jobs, and is expected to yield important economic and community development benefits to the Crawford County region. The addition of panel capacity to this geographical area will improve customer access to a stable, cost-efficient supply of high quality particleboard and decorative panel products. The location of this plant will also complement the supply of MDF from our neighboring mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
Together with the ARAUCO North American Executive Management Team, Kelly Shotbolt remarks, “There is no better way to signal the commitment we have to the renewal and modernization of the North American composite panel industry. Our objective with this investment,” Mr. Shotbolt adds, “is to improve the logistics of our entire manufacturing footprint, and support the growth of our customers in the Mid-Western Region.”
From Arauco North America: https://www.arauco-na.com/resources/media-center/news-and-press-releases/arauco-announces-325-million-investment-for-new-particleboard-mill
