Uniboard Invests $7 Million In MDF Production

Uniboard is proud to announce an investment of over $7 million at its 91-employee Mont-Laurier MDF plant. Uniboard says the investment will increase the productivity of the plant through what it says is the use of a revolutionary new wood fiber mat-preheating technology.

This process innovation is a first for North America and will allow Uniboard to better service our customer base in Canada and the United States. The Mont-Laurier MDF/HDF plant produces Excel+, Excel, and NU Green/PMDI-NAF and HDF panel products. Uniboard’s overall network of particleboard, MDF and thermally fused laminate facilities are at locations in Sayabec, Val-d’Or, Laval and Mont-Laurier, Quebec.

Overall Uniboard has an installed capacity of over 640 million square feet of raw particleboard, high-density and medium-density fiberboard, of which over 50% is converted into value-added thermally fused laminate and laminate flooring products. Uniboard’s mills in Val-d’Or, Sayabec, Mont-Laurier and Laval employ over 800 people. Its products are sold to retailers, distributors and finished goods manufacturers, which cater to the kitchen cabinet, furniture, office, home renovation and construction industries, as well as to the floor covering industry.

Since its original start-up as Panfibre in 1987,  Mont-Laurier’s capacity has been expanded in multiple steps. In 2012, Uniboard was acquired by the owners of Kaycan Ltd., a leading manufacturer of building products in North America, with its head office located in Montreal, Quebec. Kaycan Ltd. and its  group of companies offers a full range of products for both the exterior and interior of the home, including vinyl, aluminum and engineered wood siding products, PVC windows & patio doors, particleboard, MDF, thermally fused laminate and laminate flooring.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/uniboard-invests-7-million-innovative-mdf-production?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news

North American Composite Panel Market Grows

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

Uniboard Invests $53 Million In Particleboard, TFL Plant

Uniboard announced it will invest more than $53 million at its Val-d’Or particleboard and thermally fused laminate (TFL) facility as part of the panel producer’s 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. Uniboard’s composite panel products are used in cabinetry, furniture, casegoods and flooring.

In making the February 5 announcement, 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.

The company received assistance from provincial and federal agencies including Investissement Québec and Economic Development Agency of Canada for the regions of Québec.

Founded in 1976, Uniboard employs more than 800 people, including 186 at the Val-d’Or facility. The company says it has an installed capacity of more than 640 million square feet of raw particleboard, high-density and medium-density fiberboard, of which more than 50 percent is converted into value-added thermally fused laminate and laminate flooring products. Uniboard was acquired by Kaycan in 2012.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/Uniboard-Invests-53-Million-in-Particleboard-TFL-Plant-290986351.html#sthash.DrmfgcDP.d3FU2JWJ.dpbs