Forisk Consulting, a leading provider of forestry industry analytics and research, has announced further growth and updates to its leadership team. Amanda Lang has been promoted to President & Chief Operating Officer, with oversight of Forisk’s client support, research, and business development activities. In addition, Stephen Wright has been promoted to Custom Market Forecast (CMF) Project Manager, and Chris King has joined the Forisk team as Manager of the Forisk Wood Fiber Review.

“Amanda’s promotion explicitly recognizes her leadership and role in Forisk’s continued growth,” says CEO Brooks Mendell. “Over the past two years, Amanda led the online launch of our North American Forest Industry Capacity Database, which gives clients real-time access to mill capacity data, and our ability to offer Custom Market Forecasts to clients for the U.S. South and Northwest. Her efforts, as a manager and leader, improve client access to the data and analysis needed for capital investment decisions. Clients call her a trusted advisor.”

Over the past two years, Forisk’s North American Mill Database program, which gives clients real-time access to mill capacity data, has grown over 130%. And since the start of 2025, demand for Custom Market Forecasts has increased 150%, supported by marketing efforts led by VP of Business Development Nick DiLuzio, who joined Forisk in 2024.

Growth of the Custom Market Forecast (CMF) program led to Stephen Wright’s promotion as CMF Project Manager. Stephen originally joined Forisk as an analyst, before becoming Product Manager for the Wood Fiber Review. Prior to joining Forisk, Stephen worked as a Sustainability Forester for Drax Biomass in Mississippi and Louisiana. Stephen earned Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Forestry from the University of Georgia.

Stephen’s promotion resulted in the hiring of Chris King as the new Manager for the Wood Fiber Review. Prior to joining Forisk, Chris worked as an Analytics and Technology Solutions Manager for Steigerwaldt Land Services and as a Wood Sourcing Manager for Pinova in Brunswick, Georgia. Chris earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Forestry from the University of Tennessee.

As a manufacturer of stranding equipment used in the production of oriented strandboard (OSB) panels, Kadant Carmanah views its collaborative partnership with Hexion and the integration of Hexion’s Smartech artificial intelligence (AI) technology as a natural evolution of its flagship “SmartRING” strander product line and Argus smart-connected technologies platform. According to Todd Macey, president of Kadant Carmanah Design, combining Hexion’s world-class AI-driven autonomous manufacturing solutions with Kadant Carmanah’s expertise in stranding equipment will enable OSB manufacturers to produce higher quality strands, enhance strander performance, and reduce unplanned downtime.

Hexion’s Smartech division, which Hexion acquired in 2024, uses AI to improve the manufacturing process for wood panels. The product line includes software and systems solutions such as SmartPress and recently announced SmartQuality, each providing a unique approach to resin application that increases efficiency and product quality, as well as autonomous manufacturing systems, which utilize machine learning to optimize productivity.

“The benefit of this collaborative partnership for OSB producers will be the full visibility and connectivity they will now have throughout their entire manufacturing process—from the strander, to the dryer, to the blender, to the forming line, to the press,” says Michael Lefenfeld, President and CEO, Hexion. “As OSB mills continue to face labor challenges and the high variability of log inventory management, Hexion’s advanced AI and machine learning technology will help stabilize the quality of strands from the strander.”