by Web Editor | Mar 23, 2015 | News
Stora Enso has ordered the bulk of the machinery for an LVL project planned in Varkaus, Finland from Finnish machinery and plant producer Raute. Raute said that the order had a total volume of about €30m and includes the complete LVL production line with a peeling line, drying, veneer sorting and splicing, gluing, pre-press, press, order picking and packaging. Raute said that the 8 x 80 ft three-opening press has a capacity of about 100,000 m³ per year. Stora Enso said that the mill would reach full capacity by 2019. Start-up is scheduled for some time in the second quarter of 2016.
From EUWID: https://www.euwid-wood-products.com/news/roundwoodsawnwood/single/archive/2015/march/Artikel/stora-enso-orders-lvl-line-from-raute.html
by Web Editor | Mar 20, 2015 | News
Norbord And Ainsworth Lumber Provide Update On Merger And Closing
Norbord Inc. and Ainsworth Lumber Co. Ltd. today announced that they have been informed by the Antitrust Division of the United States Department of Justice that it has closed its review of the previously announced combination of Norbord and Ainsworth. Norbord and Ainsworth expect the transaction to be completed on March 31, 2015.
On December 8, 2014, Norbord and Ainsworth announced that they had entered into an arrangement agreement under which Norbord and Ainsworth would merge to create a leading global wood products company focused on oriented strand board (OSB) across North America, Europe and Asia.
Under the terms of the transaction, Norbord will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Ainsworth in an all-share transaction. Ainsworth shareholders will receive 0.1321 of a share of Norbord for each Ainsworth share.
On January 27, 2015, the transaction was overwhelmingly approved by the shareholders of each of Norbord and Ainsworth. On January 30, 2015, the Supreme Court of British Columbia granted a final order approving the combination of Norbord and Ainsworth by way of a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).
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by Web Editor | Mar 11, 2015 | News
The Canadian OSB manufacturer Ainsworth Lumber Co. has reported another strong growth in its overseas operations, which focus on serving Asian markets, in the 2014 financial year.
Shipments to Japan were just shy of the previous year at 224.1m sqft (3/8″ basis). Exports to other overseas markets more than tripled to 120.5m sqft. This upswing was primarily driven by the addition of China as a selling market last year.
Deliveries to the U.S. improved 10 % to 1.257bn sqft. Ainsworth reaped the rewards of the weaker Canadian dollar against the U.S. dollar here. However, Ainsworth sold just 152.3m sqft in Canada. Ainsworth’s total sales thus increased 9 % to 1.755bn sqft or about 1.550m m³ last year. Production rose by a similar amount to 1.751bn sqft.
This growth was primarily fueled by Ainsworth ramping up output at its mill in High Level, Alberta, which resumed operations in the third quarter of 2013. This factor offset longer market-related downtime than the previous year at its three other facilities.
From EUWID: https://www.euwid-wood-products.com/news/roundwoodsawnwood/single/archive/2015/march/Artikel/ainsworth-shipped-more-osb-to-asia-last-year.html
by Web Editor | Mar 9, 2015 | News
Norbord Ran All European Mills At Maximum Capacity In 2014
Norbord operated all of its European manufacturing sites at full steam in the 2014 financial year. The company invested in expanding and optimizing its particleboard mill in Cowie, Scotland and in two OSB mills in Inverness, Scotland and Genk, Belgium during the year.
These projects boosted its four mills’ capacity by around 170 million sqft (3/8’’ basis) or roughly 150,000 m³ to almost 1.8bn sqft or 1.6m m³ per year. Manufacturing edged 5 % higher to 1.690bn sqft or 1.495m m³. The two OSB mills and the particleboard and MDF mill in Cowie set new production records. All five locations continued operating until scheduled stoppages for maintenance and holidays.
Norbord thus said that its capacity utilization increased to 105 %. Sales were 6 % higher than in 2013 at 1.663bn sqft or 1.472m m³. Norbord improved its European revenues by almost 10 % to US$510m as a result. Higher sales volumes, increased particleboard and MDF prices as well as currency effects associated with the stronger pound Sterling against the US dollar more than made up for lower OSB prices.
Higher wage, raw material and maintenance costs also slimmed earnings. Operating income, which was expressed as adjusted EBITDA, still climbed to US$47m. The EBITDA margin weakened to 9.2 %.
From EUWID: euwid-wood-products.com
The monthly Panel World Industry Newsletter reaches over 3,000 who represent primary panel production operations.
Panel World is delivered six times per year to North American and international professionals, who represent primary panel production operations. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative. Contact us today!
by Web Editor | Mar 4, 2015 | News
Last November, the Hines development company unveiled plans for a new office building in the North Loop section of Minneapolis. Seems like ordinary news, except that the building would be the first of its kind in the U.S to be made primarily of wood. The builders refer to the project as “T3” for “Timber, Technology and Transit.”
“This building is very unique,” the lead architect, Michael Green, told the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission earlier this month. “It is the first large-scale office building built of timber in America. It is part of a revitalization of century-old ideas of how to build buildings.”
At the federal level, the U.S. is encouraging the use of sustainable wood products in building. The MinnPost reports that Green says that wood grown sustainably has a smaller carbon footprint than concrete and steel. If this seven-story building were to go forward, it would include a foundation and a first floor made of concrete and steel and six stories of mass timber construction.
As Next City columnist Alexis Stephens reported in “Can Taller Buildings Make Toronto More Affordable?,” the province of Ontario recently relaxed height restrictions on wood-frame construction to encourage residential density.
In Minneapolis, the MinnPost notes, the city has been flexible. Dan Callahan, supervisor of the city of Minneapolis’ plan review section, said he has had several meetings with the T3 team to talk through building code issues. The building would fit under code sections for heavy timber buildings. Callahan said he expects further meetings to get more information and to present the design team with other issues the city has before a formal permit application is received.
From NextCity.org: https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/minneapolis-office-building-wood-plans
by Web Editor | Mar 2, 2015 | News
Composite panel consumption is projected to grow in North America through 2016, buoyed in part by the strengthening of the U.S. housing market and positive indicators of improvement in the furniture and related industries. Figures from Resource Information Systems, Inc. (RISI) project particleboard consumption to rise 10 percent in 2015, to 3.29 billion square feet, and grow 11 percent in 2016, to 3.64 billion square feet. Similarly, MDF is projected to hit 2.97 billion square feet in 2015, a rise of 9 percent, and jump to 3.28 billion square feet in 2016, up 10 percent.
Panel producers are gearing up, with already two companies announcing multi-million plant investments this year.
Uniboard announced Feb. 5 that it will invest more than $53 million at its Val-d’Or particleboard and thermally fused laminate (TFL) facility as part of its plan to increase productivity and upgrade key production areas. The company produces particleboard, MDF and TFL from mills in Val-d’Or, Sayabec, Mont-Laurier and Laval, Canada.
Uniboard President and CEO James N. Hogg said the project will enable the company to enhance its engineered wood and value-added product offerings. “Over recent years, Uniboard has invested heavily into product development, launching new color collections including North America’s first registered embossed thermofused laminate panels as well as expanding our successful NU Green range of low and no-formaldehyde products,” he added.
This followed the Jan. 26 news from Arauco that it will invest $30 million to grow the particleboard and TFL capacity at its mill in Bennettsville, SC. The new technology is expected to be in place by the fourth quarter. Arauco said increased dryer capacity will help it to improve its particleboard production by 60 million ft2, on a 3/4-inch basis annually. Arauco also will add a high-tech fast-cycle press for TFL production.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/Composite-Panel-Market-Grows-Consumption-to-Hit-10-in-2015-294396371.html#sthash.7iZYxiAW.dpbs
