by Web Editor | Jul 26, 2017 | News
Egger Group has announced plans to build its first U.S. particleboard plant in Lexington, North Carolina. The Austrian-based panel producer will invest approximately $304 million for the first phase of the project, with the entire project expected to run about $700 million.
Construction is set to begin by the end of 2018, with production scheduled for 2020. The panel plant will create 400 direct jobs over the next six years, with an additional 370 jobs planned for later phases of the 15-year project.
The news was announced July 24, during a meeting with the North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, representatives of local authorities, company co-owner Michael Egger and Walter Schiegl, Egger Group Management Technology/Production.
Sources report the 4.5 million-square-foot production facility will be spread across more than 200 acres in an industrial park. The first stage of the project will involve the construction of a composite panel plant with coating capacities. The company said the North Carolina plant will feature state-of-the-art facilities and will enable it to better serve customers in North America.
“The planned production location in Lexington, North Carolina will play a decisive role for Egger’s increasing presence on the North American market for wood-based materials, as well as ensure product availability and delivery speed for our customers,” Schiegl said. Egger’s panel products are used in the manufacture of a variety of items, including laminate flooring, cabinetry, residential and commercial furniture, and casework.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/egger-plans-700-million-particleboard-plant-north-carolina?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news,canadian_news
by Web Editor | May 26, 2017 | News
EPA issued a proposed Direct Final Rule, concerning formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products, extending all of the TSCA Title VI compliance deadlines to account for the delays to the originally published effective date. The rule was published in the Federal Register May 24. The new compliance dates are as follows:
• Emissions, recordkeeping and labeling provisions – March 22, 2018
• Import certification – March 22, 2019
• Laminated products – March 22, 2024
The rule also proposes to extend the transitional period for CARB-certified third-party certifiers (TPCs) to March 22, 2019.
This proposed rule will enter into effect within 45 days of publication in the Federal Register if EPA does not receive any adverse comment within 15 days.
“The federal regulation that definitively addresses formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products sold in the United States was first published in the Federal Register on Dec. 12, 2016, by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. If properly enforced, the regulation can ensure that all products – both domestic and imported composite wood panels and the finished products containing them – meet the world’s most stringent standards for formaldehyde emissions. It also marks the culmination of over 30 years of product stewardship by the composite wood industry, which through voluntary efforts and consistent and progressive work with regulators, has successfully developed products that consistently meet or exceed these tough standards,” said Jackson Morrill, president of the Composite Panel Association.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/epas-final-rule-extends-formaldehyde-compliance-dates?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news,canadian_news
by Web Editor | Jan 27, 2017 | News
President Trump issued an Executive Order over the weekend that freezes all recently published EPA regulations for a 60-day review period. This review period delays the initial effective date for the EPA formaldehyde rule, pushing it from February 10 to March 21, 2017, according to the Composite Panel Association.
This change in effective date will only impact the deadline for accrediting bodies and third-party certifiers to register with the EPA. The December 12, 2017 implementation date for all panel producers and fabricators to comply with the regulation’s emissions and other requirements remains unchanged.
Since the formaldehyde rule was published in the Federal Register, it cannot be changed without further action by the Congress through the Congressional Review Act, which is highly unlikely, or through rulemaking by the EPA. At this point, there is no clear indication that EPA will open the docket for further comment or initiate a rulemaking to make changes to the existing regulation.
CPA will continue its advocacy efforts with EPA during this implementation delay to seek changes to the final regulation that address a handful of editorial and/or substantive issues, such as the restriction on labeling TSCA Title VI compliance until December 12, 2017.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/trump-administration-issues-regulatory-freeze-epa-formaldehyde
by Web Editor | Jan 23, 2017 | News
Composite Panel Association Reports Panel Shipments End Year Slightly Below 2015
The Composite Panel Association’s December Industry Snapshot Report indicates that North American composite panel shipments of particleboard and MDF totaled 5.511 billion square feet for the year 2016, a slight decrease of 0.9 percent below 2015.
December shipments totaled 412 million square feet (MMSF) (3/4-inch basis), down 1.5 percent compared to the same month a year ago.
Particleboard shipments totaled 236 MMSF (3/4-inch basis) in December, and were 3.305 BSF for the year 2016, coming in 1.4 percent below 2015. MDF shipments totaled 176 MMSF (3/4-inch basis) for the month and 2.206 MMSF for 2016, essentially flat compared to 2015.
Capitalization rate for particleboard production was primarily in the 65 to 75 percent range for 2016. Particleboard shipments for both the United States and Canada have remained about the same for the past four years. Shipments are extrapolated based on data received from 95.2 percent of the U.S. industry and 100 percent of Canadian industry.
The Industry Snapshot Report is published by the 15th of each month and is available to members on CPA’s web site. The 2016 North American Shipments and Downstream Market Report will be published in May and provide a comprehensive analysis of industry shipments.
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by Web Editor | Oct 12, 2016 | News
From: Panel World Staff
A report conducted by Forest Economic Advisors and released by Composite Panel Association says that in 2015, the total (direct, indirect and induced) impacts of U.S. CPA-member composite panel manufacturing on the U.S. economy were $7.05 billion in output, employment of more than 22,500 and wages of $1.45 billion. The Canadian composite mills’ impact on the Canadian economy were $3.41 billion (Can), employment of almost 11,500 and $724 (Can) in wages.
“Economic Impact of U.S. and Canadian Composite Panel Mills” also reveals that in 2015 37 U.S. CPA-member mills had sales of $2.30 billion and 12 Canadian mills had sales of $1.34 billion (Can).
The report estimates that U.S. and Canadian composite panel facilities consumed 8.3 million dry tons of residual fiber in 2015, out of total residual supply of 76 million dry tons. On a regional basis, composite panel mills in the U.S. South consumed the most wood fiber, accounting for 2.8 million dry tons, 34% of the total in 2015.
Other findings:
— Resin costs account for 30% of composite panel production costs.
— Energy costs account for 10-20% of costs.
— Value-added shipments accounted for 31% of North American particleboard ships in 2014 and 18% of MDF shipments. For particleboard, the biggest value-added product was thermally fused laminate panels, accounting for 66% of value-added particleboard shipments.
— In 2015, the 42 composite panel mills operating in the U.S. and 12 in Canada had total capacity of 8.15 billion SF (five of these U.S. mills were not CPA members).
— In 2015, North American composite panel shipments hit 5.97 billion SF, 31% below the pre-recession mark of 8.64 billion SF, but a gradual improvement over 5.23 billion SF in 2009.
Read more in the November issue of Panel World magazine…
