by Web Editor | Jul 6, 2018 | News
One of the best aspects of our industry is how open and inviting other producers are to visitors. It is a fact that in the wood products industry some of our fiercest competitors may also be our best customers, which encourages companies to be open and helpful. Visiting mills can often be the best way to build relationships, learn about new production processes and equipment, and develop partnerships. This is not only true for North American producers, but also foreign producers.
In January of this year, representatives of Freres Lumber learned this first-hand. Invited by Taihei, a Japanese equipment manufacturer, Freres Plant Manager Bill Childress, Chris Harpole our Plywood Maintenance Manager and myself traveled almost 24 hours to Japan for a whirlwind, five-day tour of manufacturing and equipment fabricating facilities. There was much to learn and much to see.
In a production line the magic is often in the small details, but we noticed some large differences between U.S. and Japanese production processes right away. From the start of the production, many of the blocks were conditioned in nominal 12’ lengths. A standard metric sheet of veneer or plywood is 1-meter x 2-meter, or about 3’ x 6’. Blocks this size would be difficult to handle, so they kept full length and cut in half at the lathe.
Japanese veneer processing lines are not unheard of in the States, and in fact Swanson Group, a local Oregon manufacturer has a Japanese Meinan lathe. These lathes are known for their precision and how few people are required to operate the line. They also have a substantially different philosophy in handling random veneer, which was not only evident on the veneer line, but also in the plywood workstations.
U.S. production on lines typically add the people they need to handle small, random pieces. Japanese producers crowd, stack, and compose the random veneer instead. It varies from plant to plant whether or not random veneer is composed green or dry.
Read more of this article from Kyle Freres at https://frereslumber.com/blog/2018/07/freres-lumber-representatives-visit-japanese-wood-products-manufacturers/?utm_source=Forest+Business+Network+email+newsletter&utm_campaign=7bbb0fdb95-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_07_04&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_3a629cb392-7bbb0fdb95-111950185.
by Web Editor | Apr 23, 2018 | News
The U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) will not launch a new investigation into plywood imports from China for the time being. With this decision, the DOC dismissed a petition filed by four U.S. plywood producers on 15 February.
In the petition, the plaintiffs called for more far-reaching reviews to complement the investigation completed at the end of 2017. Specifically, they aimed to expand the subject of the probe into plywood made with softwood veneer faces. The companies report that a variety of Chinese plywood manufacturers have started to switch outer faces with softwood veneers in response to punitive duties imposed on hardwood plywood products at the start of the year.
Section 781c of the U.S. Tariff Act of 1930 allows the investigation to be expanded as long as the new object of the investigation only varies slightly from the grades covered to date. The probes conducted to date addressed laminated and unlaminated plywood with two or more layers whose top face solely consists of hardwood veneers or bamboo. Against this backdrop, the DOC feels that plywood with softwood outer faces cannot be seen as a minor product change to the object of the investigation.
From EUWID: https://www.euwid-wood-products.com/news/wood-based-panels/single/Artikel/us-no-new-investigation-into-plywood-imports-from-china.html
by Web Editor | Apr 6, 2018 | News
If you manufacture finished goods that contain particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF) or hardwood plywood (HWPW), then you likely have been preparing to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products rule. If this is the first time you have heard of this Regulation, known also as “TSCA Title VI” after the statutory authority for the regulation, there is still time to prepare for compliance, but time is of the essence. This article provides a general outline of the TSCA Title VI requirements applicable to manufacturers of finished products containing composite wood panels, as well as the key dates for compliance, which have only just been finalized through recent litigation.
TSCA Title VI covers all finished goods and component parts made with particleboard, MDF and HWPW. Fabricators that make component parts using a wood or woody grass veneer (such as bamboo) attached to a composite wood core that is later used in a finished product may also meet the definition for “laminated product” producers, which triggers several additional requirements starting March 22, 2024. TSCA Title VI does include a “de minimis” exemption for finished goods or component parts sold directly to end users if its composite wood content does not exceed 144 square inches on its largest face. This exemption applies only to labeling; products such as small picture frames and others that meet the de minimis definition must still be made with compliant composite wood and comply with recordkeeping requirements.
The central requirement for manufacturers of finished goods is that they use compliant composite wood and that this is documented throughout the supply chain. On March 13, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued an order altering many TSCA Title VI compliance dates, including those related to sourcing. Fabricators must either begin using TSCA Title VI certified composite wood panels in all component parts and finished goods by June 1, 2018, or be able to prove that the composite wood panels or component parts were manufactured before, or were in inventory prior to, that date. The Court has now also allowed California Air Resources Board Airborne Toxic Control Measure Phase 2 (“CARB 2”) certified composite wood panels to be considered TSCA Title VI compliant until March 22, 2019.
Read more on this from Woodworking Network at https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/management/quickguide-to-epa-formaldehyde-regulation-what-woodworkers-need-know?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news,canadian_news.
by Web Editor | Mar 5, 2018 | News
Hardwood Plywood & Veneer Association has just rebranded as the Decorative Hardwoods Association and launched an easy-to-navigate website packed with resources for trade professionals, manufacturers, and consumers.
“This name change will better describe our diverse membership of North American hardwood plywood, engineered wood flooring, and hardwood veneer manufacturers,” said Don Finkell, chairman of the board of directors of Decorative Hardwoods Association.
The new Decorative Hardwoods Association website highlights the benefits of American-made, real wood products. “We are passionate about showcasing the beauty and craftsmanship of real engineered wood and demonstrating our dedication to sustainable forest management and ethical, legal sourcing of timber throughout the world,” said Kip Howlett, president of Decorative Hardwoods Association.
The resources provided by the Decorative Hardwoods Association include where to buy quality, American-made engineered wood products, information on members’ commitment to sustainable forest management, and how certification and testing protect consumers – and the world’s forests. In addition, more opportunities have been added for members to feature their products and services.
“We care deeply about our forests and our products which maximize the yield from those resources,” said Howlett. “Our association is a legacy that has been handed down from one generation to the next for more than 97 years.”
Read more on this from Woodworking Network at https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/hpva-rebrands-decorative-hardwoods-association?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news,canadian_news.
by Web Editor | Sep 11, 2017 | News
Thanks to a partnership with the Oregon State University College of Forestry, D.R. Johnson Wood Innovations in Riddle, Oregon, recently became the first U.S. certified manufacturer of cross-laminated timber.
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is a massive structural composite panel product usually consisting of three to nine layers of dimensional timber arranged perpendicular to each other, much like layers of veneer in plywood and can be used as prefabricated wall, floor and roofing elements in residential, public and commercial structures. It is extremely strong and flexible, making it resilient to seismic activity.
Lech Muszyński, assistant professor of wood science and engineering, first saw CLT in production during his 2009 sabbatical in Austria. He says those facilities were unlike anything he had ever seen.
“I decided to visit as many as I could because the diversity was astounding,” Muszyński says. “I learned that you don’t need to be a big operation to make a difference in the market.”
Once back at OSU, Muszyński began making the rounds to industry partners to gauge their interest in constructing CLT test panels. He had little success until a meeting of the college’s Board of Visitors. Valarie Johnson, president of D.R. Johnson Lumber was in the room.
From Oregon State University: https://www.forestry.oregonstate.edu/osu-dr-johnson-work-together-produce-cross-laminated-timber
