by Web Editor | Mar 18, 2016 | News
The Engineered Wood Construction Guide, APA’s comprehensive and widely recognized guide to engineered wood construction systems, has been updated and is now available on the APA website.
The 92-page guide features information on engineered wood products and recommendations for their use in a wide range of applications in residential and commercial construction. It includes information on plywood and oriented strand board (wood structural panels), glulam, I-joists, structural composite lumber, typical specifications, and design recommendations for floor, wall, and roof systems, diaphragms, shear walls, fire-rated systems, and methods of finishing.
The guide can be downloaded free of charge in PDF format or purchased in printed format for $12 at www.apawood.org/resource-library. The online offering has been enhanced with this edition to simplify the options for downloading selected chapters of the guide or the complete publication.
First published in 1962, this is the 33rd printing of the popular guide.
by Web Editor | Mar 11, 2016 | News
Investigators remain at the scene of an explosion at a wood products mill in Quesnel, B.C.
No one was hurt March 9 when a blast and fire damaged one side of the West Pine MDF mill, at the northern end of the Cariboo community, about 600 kilometers north of Vancouver.
Quesnel Mayor Bob Simpson says the mill employs about 100 people and all the workers on shift at around 5:30 Wednesday were safely evacuated.
West Pine MDF, operated by Quesnel-based West Fraser Mills Ltd., uses sawdust and other materials to manufacture plywood-like boards known as medium density fiberboard.
Firefighters knocked down the blaze and spent the night dousing hot spots on the side of the plant where the sawdust is fed into the building. A cause of the explosion is under investigation and Simpson hopes the mill can resume operation in about a week.
From Canadian Manufacturing: https://www.canadianmanufacturing.com/operations/blast-west-fraser-mills-ltd-plant-halt-production-week-164096/
by Web Editor | Mar 9, 2016 | News
With housing starts growing in both single-family and multifamily categories, lumber suppliers are looking to advance their product lines beyond the commodity mindset to help builders resolve more challenges. They also point to the many intangibles provided by suppliers that provide values beyond the initial price when considering options for dimensional lumber, OSB, plywood and structural panels.
“The trend we’re seeing with OSB panels is a move to enhance products in different ways,” says George Hendry, market development manager at Weyerhaeuser. “Builders are struggling with reduced levels of skilled labor, so they’re looking at enhanced panels to help them find ways to make products easier and faster to install. They want attributes that will enhance performance in the field.”
Adds Ray Peters, vice president of marketing at RoyOMartin, “Our new products are aimed at finding ways to decommoditize OSB and excel at all three factors that drive purchase decisions: price, quality and delivery. We want to stand out in that equation.”
Reducing processes and steps for installation has become a priority as builders face new challenges. “One headwind we face today is the shortage of skilled labor in many markets,” says Mary Jo Nyblad, commodity sales and marketing director at Boise Cascade. “Finding, training and retaining qualified employees at all levels of our industry will continue to be a challenge. We as an industry have done a poor job of marketing ourselves. We’re a well-kept secret, especially for young people. It’s a big blind spot.”
A prime focus for adding value has been protecting panels against moisture during the construction process and afterward, helping overcome issues with less efficient crews and eliminating the need for adding housewrap in a separate step. “Products that provide wet-weather protection are popular, as are those that need less sanding and prep time for framers and floor installers,” notes Weyerhaeuser’s Hendry.
From LBM Journal: https://www.lbmjournal.com/in-depth-lumber-and-structural-panels-2016/
by Web Editor | Feb 26, 2016 | News
Columbia Forest Products Builds Executive Team
Columbia Forest Products, a leader in decorative hardwood plywood panels, promoted three senior-level employees to the company’s executive team, as announced by Brad Thompson, President and CEO:
Gary Gillespie has been promoted to Executive Vice President responsible for all of Columbia’s Canadian plywood operations and the company’s decorative veneer operations. Gillespie is also a member of the Board of Directors for Columbia Forest Products.
Greg Pray has been promoted to Executive Vice President responsible for all of Columbia’s plywood operations located in the U.S. In addition, Pray has been named to Columbia’s Board of Directors.
Dave Abts has been promoted to Executive Vice President with responsibility for manufacturing, which includes logistics, materials, corporate engineering, manufacturing lean systems, and innovation. Abts is also a member of the Board of Directors for Columbia Forest Products.
Thompson reports that these changes represent the “first phase of a thoughtful and controlled succession process that will keep Columbia Forest Products on its path to a vibrant future.”
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by Web Editor | Feb 19, 2016 | News
Roseburg says its RigidCore plywood has entered the market for use in industrial applications for CNC machining of furniture, cabinetry and other products.
Most plywood used in the industrial market is machined into smaller pieces on CNC machines, says Roseburg. Product consistency and yield are critical factors in using plywood. Core gaps, open knots, warping and variations in thickness are a big concern for industrial customers, according to the company.
Roseburg developed RigidCore features 100 percent Douglas fir veneers with balanced layup for flatter panels with exceptional dimensional stability, 1/8-inch maximum core gaps, and proprietary C+ grade core veneers.
From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/panel-supply/roseburg-introduces-rigidcore-industrial-plywood
