Milwaukee OKs Tallest Mass Timber Structure

The Milwaukee, Wisconsin city planning commission recently approved rezoning for a project many believe will be the tallest mass timber structure in the U.S., though the project must still be approved by a neighborhood zoning committee. Called the Ascent residential tower, the mixed-use structure would use cast-in concrete for the first five stories and concrete shafts from top to bottom, and would be topped by a 15-story exposed mass timber system that uses steel connectors. The building will include 205 residential units, plus floors dedicated to commercial space, enclosed parking and amenities.

Chinese Delegates Visit APA, Tour Wood Building Projects

A delegation from China’s Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (MOHURD) visited Tacoma, Washington-based APA-The Engineered Wood Association and toured wood-framed building projects in Seattle on September 11.

The delegation, led by Director General Yu Binyang, was the highest level foreign government group to visit APA in recent years. In addition to APA, the trade visit was hosted by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Lab (FPL), located in Madison, Wisconsin.

Representatives from the City of Bellevue, Wash. Planning and Development Department and U.S. Embassy Agricultural Trade Office in Beijing were also present.

The visit comes as China begins to formulate the nation’s timber structure construction development plan as part of the 13th Five-Year Plan for Economic and Social Development. In a meeting held at APA headquarters in Tacoma, Director General Yu Binyang and other MOHURD representatives discussed opportunities and challenges around building with wood in China. Considerations included the importance of sustainability, green building, codes and standards, and further development of trade relations with the U.S.

“We were very pleased to host this Ministerial delegation from the People’s Republic of China,” said APA President, Edward Elias. “The caliber of this mission, in both the quality of participants and content, demonstrates the effectiveness of APA’s efforts to expand the interests of the North American wood products industry within this key Asian market.”

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/news/woodworking-industry-news/seeking-greener-construction-chinese-delegates-visit-us-wood?ss=news,news,woodworking_industry_news,news,almanac_market_data,news,canadian_news

Brian Luoma Picked To Lead Alabama’s Westervelt Company

Brian Luoma Picked To Lead Alabama’s Westervelt Company

 

The Westervelt Company named Brian Luoma as President and CEO, succeeding Mike Case, who announced his retirement after more than 32 years with the company. Luoma will oversee Westervelt Lumber, Westervelt Renewable Energy, Westervelt Forest Resources, Westervelt Communities, Westervelt Ecological Services and Westervelt New Zealand.

Luoma most recently served as executive vice president and general manager, Siding, with Louisiana-Pacific Corp.

Jon Warner, Chairman of the Board at The Westervelt Co., based in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, comments, “Brian’s proven leadership and vision will be essential in leading our company.”

“I am thrilled to join the Westervelt team,” Luoma says. “The company’s commitment to excellence and focus on sustainability are the driving forces behind 133 years of success.”

Since 1987, Luoma held roles of increasing responsibility with LP. Luoma graduated in Forestry from Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. He worked for LP while attending college, first as an assistant log scaler at the LP stud mill in Fort Bragg, California and then in the woods as a forestry technician. After graduating he worked for Simpson Timber in Korbel for a year before rejoining LP as timberlands manager in northern California. He then became wood procurement manager for LP’s Western Region. He later led LP’s Northern operations OSB group in Hayward, Wisconsin before moving to LP headquarters as head of forestry, wood procurement and logistics.

He advanced to LP’s vice president of Engineered Wood Products before becoming executive vice president and GM over LP Siding, based at headquarters in Nashville, Tennnessee.

Westervelt operates a high production, modernized southern yellow pine sawmill at Moundville, Alabama, a large industrial wood pellet plant in Aliceville, Alabama, and owns/manages 500,000 acres of timberland.

For more information on The Westervelt Company visit westervelt.com.

 

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PFS Corporation And TECO Merge

PFS Corp. and Timberco, Inc. (TECO), two third-party certification agencies that have been linked for almost 25 years, have merged as of May 1, the company said in the press release received by Lesprom Network.

On May 1, 2015, Jim Husom, President and CEO of PFS Corporation, and Steve Winistorfer, President and CEO of TECO, signed papers merging the two companies. In announcing the merger, Jim Husom commented, “This merger combines what have been two well-respected and successful companies into one; and as one, we’ll be able to provide even more effective and efficient service to our existing clients and grow our business more than we could individually.”

The two companies together provide certification and testing services for more than a dozen different building products, including engineered wood products like LVL, I-joists, and glued laminated timber; plus SIPs (structural insulated panels), OSB (oriented strand board), softwood and hardwood plywood, metal plate connected wood trusses, adhesives, pre-cast concrete panels, hearth products, and construction fasteners for approximately 500 manufacturing plants.

Their testing laboratories, located in Wisconsin and Oregon, perform a variety of structural tests, durability tests, formaldehyde emissions tests, and some fire tests. The PFS Manufactured Structures Division provides design approval and factory inspections to over 120 HUD Code and modular building factories in 39 states and Canada.

From Lesprom Network: https://www.lesprom.com/en/news/PFS_Corporation_and_TECO_merge_67829/

Madison College Hosts Veneering And Laminating Seminar

A record number of guests attended the latest seminar offered by the Cabinetmaking & Millwork program at Madison College. “Interest in our seminars continues to grow” stated Program Director Patrick Molzahn. “This time we had 61 people, and there were several on our waiting list who did not get to attend”.

The seminar featured five speakers. Margaret Fisher (Lange Bros.) opened the day-long event with a presentation on how veneer is produced and issues which arise from improper specification and production. The group was then divided into two smaller groups. Margaret’s next session offered hands-on practice identifying and creating veneer matches. Each participant created their own sketch face with veneer provided by Saunders Wood Specialties.

Peter Van Dyke (Stiles Machinery) discussed best methods for processing and sanding veneer in the most efficient manner, including examples of state of the art machinery for working with veneer. Following Peter’s presentation, attendees were treated to lunch provided by the AWI-Wisconsin chapter. Madison College students had the opportunity to socialize with many of the employers present.

The afternoon was dedicated to adhesives and pressing. Josh Bartlett (Applied Adhesives) gave an overview of the different adhesive products available for veneering, and problems that can arise when they are not used correctly. Black Bros. shipped in a 24” roll coater for the seminar so we could conduct a demonstration of applying adhesive and pressing a panel. Todd Phalen and Ed Strahota demonstrated the roll coater and discussed different types of presses available for veneering and laminating.

From Woodworking Network: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/wood/wood-veneer/Madison-College-hosts-Veneering-and-Laminating-Seminar-293901041.html#sthash.2wEAVCGW.dpbs