Page 14 The Softwood Forest Products Buyer - Miller Publishing ...

Page 14The Softwood Forest Products BuyerNELMA Photos - Continued from page 12Jeff Hardy, Cersosimo Lumber Co. Inc., Brattleboro, Vt.; Kim Haven and BarryHodgkin, Simply Computing International, Herman, Maine; and Arkon Horne,Fraser Timber Ltd., Ashland, MaineMatt Demers, Demers Lumber, Dieppe, N.B.; Donna Reynolds, NELMA,Cumberland Center, Maine; Alden Robbins and Tonia Tibbetts, RobbinsLumber Inc., Searsmont, Maine; and Rob Hoffman, Capital Forest Products,Annapolis, Md.Wil Nance, Lumbermenʼs Underwriting Alliance, Hoover, Ala.; and Maria andPaul Lennon, Lumbermenʼs Underwriting Alliance, Bow, N.H.Charlie Lumbert, Moose River Lumber, Jackman, Maine; Gaston Poitras, J.D.Irving Ltd., St. John, N.B.; and Alan Orcutt and Susan Coulombe, Irving ForestProducts, Dixfield, MaineTerry Miller, The Softwood Forest Products Buyer, Memphis, Tenn.; SusanCoulombe, Irving Forest Products, Dixfield, Maine; and Gaston and ColettePoitras, Irving Forest Products, St. John, N.B.Matt Duprey, Hancock Lumber, Casco, Maine; Gil Adams, Warren Trask Co.,Stoughton, Mass.; Craig Myers, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual InsuranceCo., Philadelphia, Pa.; and Tom Jenkins, T. Jenkins Forest Products, Bangor,MaineZoltan van Heyningen, Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports, Washington, D.C.;Jeff Easterling, NELMA, Cumberland Center, Maine; and Chris Brochu,Pleasant River Lumber, Dover Foxcroft, MaineElwood Lowell and Gloria Hall, R.E. Lowell Lumber, Buckfield, Maine; andCathi and Richard Winemiller, Diorio Forest Products, Oregon City, Ore.Dennis Crowe and Mark Currier, Great Northern Lumber, Blue Ashland, Ill.; DanPaige, Sandy Neck Traders, Harwich, Mass.; and Gary Vitale, NAWLA, RollingMeadows, Ill.PCBC Photos - Continued from page 8Tony Perez, Steve Andrews, Sachin Gore, Scott Rumpakis, Mona Schmidt, Andy Lester and Annette Panning,Andersen Windows Inc., Bayport, Minn.Nick Tate, DeeDee Graham, Jack McMillin and Mike Huddy, LP Building Products, Nashville, Tenn..Don Danka, Viance, Charlotte, N.C.Gary Crowel, Enerflex (a division of Universal Forest Products), GrandRapids, Mich.Fred Schardt, Sierra Woods, Nevada City, Calif.

July/August 2011 Page 15BCWLA Names John Bennett Lumberman Of The YearPhotos by Vince PrivaLilliana Bennett, Linda Bennett, and John Bennett, BCWLA Man Of The Year, Norman G. Jensen, Inc.,Minneapolis, Minn.Dawn-Ann Byers, roast mistress, Taiga Building Products, Burnaby, B.C.; Mark Thompson, roaster, West Fraser Mills,Quesnel, B.C.; Steve Midthum, Norman G. Jensen, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.; and Jack Hetherington, Evergreen,Empire Mills, Burnaby B.C.Mike Apsey, retired CEO of COFI, Victoria, B.C.; Blaine Hicks, DunkleyLumber, Prince George, B.C.; and Mike Michaud, Dakerin Industries,North Vancouver, B.C.Vancouver, B.C.–Approximately120 guests recently enjoyed the31st Annual Roast, hosted bythe British Columbia WholesaleLumber Association (BCWLA) atthe Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.John Bennett, of Norman G.Jensen, Inc., was honored as the2011 Lumberman of the Year.Kent Beveridge, of Skana ForestProducts, welcomed everyone tothe dinner, followed by the lightheartedroast of Bennett, a longtimelumberman. He was alsoawarded a complimentaryCitizenship Proclamation of anHonorary Canadian Citizen.For more information about theBCWLA, visit online atwww.bcwla.org.•Brent Johnson, Dakerin Industries, North Vancouver, B.C.; and LarryTaddei, past president of BCWLA, retired lumber wholesaler, NorthVancouver, B.C.Bill Barnett, Marathon Forest Products, North Vancouver, B.C.; ErnieHarder, retired guest; and Harry Erskine, Still Creek Forest Products,Coquitlam, B.C.Greg Grasher, Norman G. Jensen, Inc., Blaine,Wash.; Laura Lee McKenzie, A&A ContractBrokers, Blaine, Wash.; and Neil Van Swearinger,Independent Dispatch USA, Blaine, Wash.Jack Hetherington, Evergreen, Empire Mills,Burnaby B.C.; Kent Beveridge, vice presidentof BCWLA and master of ceremonies, SkanaForest Products, New Westminster, B.C.; and SteveMidthum, Norman G. Jensen, Inc., Minneapolis,Minn.

July/August 2011 Page 19NELMA -Continued from page 18first evening’s Welcome Reception,providing even more networkingopportunities to convention attendees.This year’s Convention programincorporated a “Business ToolSpotlight” that featured presentationsby three companies that providedinsight and service information relevantto the industry’s successful futuregrowth. Speakers included Bill RohdeJr., President of Acadia Insurance;Suzanne Hearn, Manager of Salesand Marketing, and Bill Nocerino,Manager of the Lumber Division ofForest2Market; and Jim Bartelson,Executive Vice-President of BlueBook Services.This year’s Industry Luncheon honoredoutgoing Chairman JeffDesjardins with a presentation ofthe signature “NELMA Chair”.Entertainment was provided by comedian,Jeff Caldwell.The final afternoon of businessbegan with the bi-annual lumber marketand economic forecast presentationby Paul Jannke of ForestEconomic Advisory (FEA), titled“North American Housing and LumberMarkets: Will This Be the Year ofRecovery?”. The meeting of NELMA’sBoard of Directors ended the businessprogram for the Convention, where areview of committee/subcommitteeproceedings was conducted alongwith a review of Association financialreports. Two updates on issues pertinentto the lumber industry were provided,first by Zoltan van Heyningen,Executive Director of the Coalition forFair Lumber Imports, followed by PhilRuck of CES, Inc. regarding State andFederal Environmental Permitting.The 2011 Convention came to aclose with the Chairman’s Receptionand Theatre trip, where the 1950’stheme came to life to prepare attendeesfor an evening at the WangTheatre to enjoy the musical productionof Grease.Mark your calendars for NELMA’s FallBoard of Directors meeting and GolfEvent, set for Sept. 22-23 at theNonantum Resort in Kennebunkport,Maine.•NAWLA -Continued from page 1a regional meeting in Boston, Mass.,which was co-chaired by Jim Robbins,Robbins Lumber Co., and VincentMicale, Warren Trask Co.NAWLA President Gary Vitale presentedan association update.During the meeting, two informationsessions were held. Scott Kenney ofFarm Credit of Maine led one andoffered a perspective on the currentbanking reality and how business canbe an intelligent partner with yourbank.Bob Berg, economist advisor forWood Products, RISI, presented thesecond session, which was an outlookfor U.S. wood markets. He noted thereis growing evidence that the recoveryin the economy is taking hold.NAWLA is preparing now for its annualTraders Market, scheduled for Oct.19-21 at The Mirage, Las Vegas, Nev.For more information, visit online atwww.nawla.org.•WHOʼS WHO - BaileyContinued from page 2Pine, White and Doug Fir, Sugar Pineand Incense Cedar.Value-added products includeForestry Stewardship Certified (FSC),RED 5/4 Pine decking and timbers.With 14 years experience in the forestproducts industry, Bailey began workingwith Collins in 1997 and has beenin his current position approximatelytwo years.A graduate of Santa Ynez Valley HighSchool he obtained a degree inTactical Air Operations from theUnited States Marine Corps and iscurrently enrolled in Portland StateUniversity.Collins Cos. is a member ofthe Western Wood ProductsAssoc. (WWPA), National HardwoodLumber Assoc. (NHLA); Lumbermen’sAssociation of Texas; andLumbermen’s Association of Californiaand Nevada.In 2009 the company received FSCPacific NW Champion Award, AWFSSequoia Award and in 2007 the firmwas awarded Building Green Top 10Products.Recently married to Karie, Baileyenjoys running, wine, horses, golf andmusic in his spare time.The family-owned Collins Cos. datesback to 1855, when T.D. Collins begantimber operations in Pennsylvania. Bythe turn of the century, the family hadexpanded west to manage 94,000acres of Softwood in northeasternDURGINCROWELLTRIED AND TRUE.Manufacturers of Quality Eastern White PineCalifornia. Today the firm’s holdingsalso include the Collins LakeviewForest in southern Oregon and northernCalifornia. Additionally, CollinsProducts LLC manufactures standardand certified exterior siding and particleboard,also standard hardboardsiding and trim.•WHOʼS WHO - BetzContinued from page 2keting for a medical supply company.Son of former partner Dave Betz,Michael bought his father’s shares ofPacWest Lumber when Dave retired.“It has been a unique opportunity towork side by side with my Dad the lasttwo years, learning the ropes,” hesaid. “This is a very unique industry.”Mike and his wife of 11 years, Alisa,have two children. In his spare time heenjoys snowboarding, golf and rugby.Pacific Western Lumber, also knownas PacWest, was formed in 1985 as awholesale trading organization servingthe needs of industrial and commercialusers. The firm’s primaryContinued on page 22The conference, attended by approximately120 registrants, included apresentation by John Mitchell, economist,about current economic trends,especially the lagging housing market.At the Chairman’s Dinner, GregBell entertained and inspired attendeeswith his approach of “WateringThe Bamboo.”Committee meetings and numerousnetworking opportunities were alsoavailable during this conference.NAWLA would like to thank the sponsorsof this year’s Annual Conference:Carl Diebold Lumber Company; BlueBook Services; Hampton Affiliates;and Western International.Prior to that meeting, NAWLA hosted• 30 Million BD FT of ProductionDURGIN & CROWELL LUMBER CO.• 630,000 BD FT of Dry Kiln Capacity231 Fisher Corner Rd.• Inline Moisture DetectorsNew London, NH 03257• Waco 30 XL MoulderP: 603-763-2860• Modernized Cut Up ShopF: 603-763-4498www.durginandcrowell.com

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July/August 2011 Page 21

Page 22WHOʼS WHO - BetzContinued from page 19focus has been on WesternSoftwoods but the company also hasexpertise in domestic Softwoods fromother producing areas as well as avariety of imported species and hardwoods.As an agent for several mills in thePacific Northwest, Pacific WesternLumber offers, in addition to standarddimension lumber, the manufactureand sale of industrial and heavy constructiontimbers in specified lengthsand fractional sizes. PacWest nowrepresents Woodguard, a manufacturerof plastic coated lumber, fencing,playground components, outdoorproducts and organic agricultural processingaids. For more informationvisit www.pacwestlumber.com.•WHOʼS WHO - HaydukContinued from page 2laminated products and 205 millionboard feet of dimensional lumberacross 250 acres.Value-added products include BlackSpruce, APA approved products(Ni20, Ni40x, Ni60, Ni70, Ni80x)offered in up to 64-inch lengths.“Nordic XLAM cross-laminated timberpanels are our latest innovative solutionto heavier and costlier precastconcrete panels and conventionalsteel and concrete construction techniques,”Hayduk said. “Nordic X-LAMfeatures cross-laminated plies of kilndrieddimensional lumber, impartingtremendous rigidity. It’s manufacturedto exacting structural standards and isperfect for walls, floors, ceilings androofs in architectural or industrialgrades. Energy efficient and resourcefriendly, X-LAM is ideal for agriculturalor industrial buildings, low-rise or midrisemulti-family units or other lightcommercial applications.”With 27 years experience in the forestproducts industry, Hayduk has representedNordic for approximatelyten years, has held his currentposition for six years. Previouspositions include: Marketing Manager,Communications Manager, StrategicMarketing CommunicationsConsultant and Creative Director.Hayduk obtained a degree in SocialSciences from Vanier CÉGEP Collegeand a bachelor’s in CommunicationArts/Media, majoring in Film &“We have advertised in The Softwood ForestProducts Buyer for a two number years of now years and now we’ve andwe’ve been very been pleased very with pleased the results. with the Recently results. weRecently were contacted we were by contacted a new client by a who new mentionedclient whomentioned he learned of he us learned through of a us feature through story a feature he sawstory on our he company. saw on our Advertising company. dollars Advertising aren’t dollars easyaren’t to quantify easy but to quantify we know but from we the know comments from the wecomments hear that people we hear see that and read people about see us and in ‘The readabout Softwood us in Buyer.’ ‘The Softwood That’s why Buyer.’ advertising That’s why in ‘The advertisingSoftwood in Buyer’ ‘The Softwood is advertising Buyer’ is dollars advertising wellspent.dollars wellspent.Bob MaurerBob MaurerSwanson Group SalesGlendale, ORT e l . : 8 0 0 - 8 4 4 - 1 2 8 0F a x : 9 0 1 - 3 8 8 - 9 0 5 8E - m a i l : s t o k e s @ s o f t w o o d b u y e r . c o mTelevision Production. Additional trainingincludes Project Management andPrinciples in Engineering Drawing andDesign.Nordic is a member of theEngineered Wood Association (APA),International Standards Organization,Engineered Wood Products Assoc.,Forest Products Society, NationalAssociation of Home Builders(NAHB), North American WholesaleLumber Association (NAWLA),Northeastern Retail Lumber Assoc.(NRLA), Wood I-Joist Manufacturer’sAssoc. (WIJMA), and the Wood TrussCouncil of America (WTCA).Hayduk and his wife of 30 years, Lili,have two sons. In his spare time heenjoys free-hand illustration anddesign and sports.•WHOʼS WHO - PaulsenContinued from page 2The company has a full sauna productionfacility at its Minnesota plantwhere mid-to-high-end as well as allcustom saunas are produced. Theyalso produce high quality entry leveland mid-range saunas and infraredrooms in a China facility. The saunaIt’s everywhere youneed to be to getmore business!Swanson Group Sales, Glendale, OR, is the sales arm of Swanson Group Inc which operates fivemills in Oregon. The company has two dimension mills producing Green Doug Fir in 2x4 through2x10; one stud mill that produces dry White Fir, dry Hem-Fir and Green Doug Fir studs; and twoplywood mills that make sanded, siding, sheathing, sturdifloor, industrial panels and overlays. Callthem at 800-331-0831 or Fax at 541-832-1234 or at www.swansongroupinc.com They are currentlyusing 6 – 1/2 Islands in four color and 1 – 1/2 Island in four-color in the NAWLA Special Editionof The Softwood Forest Products Buyer.The Softwood Forest Products Buyerheaters and controls are made inSaunatec’s Hanko, Finland plant, andsteam generators and boilers aremade in the firm’s Woodinville, Wash.,plant.Saunatec purchases millions ofboard feet annually of Aspen, Alder,Hemlock, Nordic Spruce, Pine,Western Red Cedar, ESLP andAbachi.Paulson has been in his current positionfor seven years and employed bySaunatec for nine years.A graduate of Dassel-Cokato HighSchool, Cokato, Minn., he attendedUniversity of Minnesota, Waseca,Minn. Paulson retired from the ArmyNational Guard after 23 years of service.He and his wife, Patty, of 30 yearshave two sons, two grandsons andthree granddaughters. In his sparetime he enjoys hunting, fishing, campingand motorcycle riding.For more information visit www.-saunatec.com.•WHOʼS WHO - SanchezContinued from page 2property and casualty insurance to thelumber, woodworking and buildingmaterial industries.The company is headquartered inPhiladelphia, Pa., and has additionalfield representatives in most marketingterritories throughout the UnitedStates.Sanchez’s responsibilities includemaking contact with clients to discusstheir insurance needs, inspecting theiroperation, taking pictures for files andserving as a liaison between theclient, PLM and the insurance agent.He also has the duty of setting the rateand underwriting the property beforesending the file to the casualty underwriters.Other responsibilities includerepresenting PLM at conventions aswell as prospecting for new clientsand brokers.A graduate of South San AntonioHigh School, Sanchez received hisbachelor’s degree from TexasChristian University. With 25 plusyears in the insurance industry as anunderwriter and sales and marketingrepresentative, he has worked withAetna Life and Casualty, AmericanStates, Charter Insurance Group andthe Hartford Insurance Group.He and his wife have two daughters.In his spare time Sanchez enjoys golf,TCU athletics, and volunteering withthe South San Antonio High SchoolBand.PLM is a member of the San AntonioIndependent Insurance AgentsAssociation. For more information visitwww.plmnis.com.•WHOʼS WHO - StitcherContinued from page 2Doug Fir and Spruce-Pine-Fir.Stitcher has been in his current positionfor three years. He began hiscareer in the forest products industryin structural drafting 27 years ago.Previous positions include engineeringmanager, operations manager,vice president of engineering, generalmanagement and director of development.Golden Eagle Log Homes is a familybusiness that grew from a successfulbuilding supply company. Wally andMarlace Parmeter established GoldenEagle Building Center in 1966. By1986, the Parmeter’s founded GoldenEagle Log Homes. For moreinformation visit www.goldeneagleloghomes.com.•

July/August 2011 Page 23APA NEWS -Continued from page 2bolts, to attach the bottom plate ofwalls to the concrete or masonry foundation.Another common theme observedalong the tornado paths is that homesconstructed with non-structural exteriorwall sheathing, especially if used inconjunction with vinyl siding, failed atwind speeds much lower than calledfor in the building codes. Roof gableendsare a common failure location forthese systems because they are notbacked by drywall as walls are withinthe living space. Walls that are fullysheathed with OSB or plywood andconstructed with proper connectionshave stronger resistance to the damagingforces of high winds. Findingsfrom the damage assessment arebeing reviewed with APA’s technicalstaff and will be posted on the APAwebsite. Contact: Tom Kositzky•WASHINGTON SCENE -Continued from page 2developing a new marbled murreletmanagement plan.Russ Taylor with Wood Markets Groupgave a presentation on global log andlumber markets. An authority on theglobal wood market, he focused onthe impacts that Russia and Chinaare having on local log and lumbersupply. According to AFRC, over 1 billionboard feet of logs were exportedfrom Northwest ports in 2010 andmore are expected in 2011. Taylor presentedan outline of existing andfuture impacts to the industry.A legal panel of attorneys who representAFRC and the industry closedout the meeting. Mark Rutzick whospoke about ESA issues impactingthe management of public forests;Elaine Spencer, Graham and Dunn,made a presentation regarding theDNR trust beneficiary duties and howthat impacts the timber sale programin Washington State currently and inthe future; and Scott Horngren, AFRCstaff attorney, who discussed some ofthe recent cases he has been involvedwith on behalf of AFRC.For more information visit www.amforest.org.•the concept a step further when hebought the company.“Because we are now owned by abuilder, we can build from the groundup,” said Nevins. “The market as awhole has since evolved into turnkeyoptions, and we were ahead of thecurve on that evolution.”Nevins also credited Holland Log &Cedar Homes’ employees with helpingto keep the company on track and ingrowth mode throughout even thetoughest economic times. “We havethe best employees, hands down,”said Nevins, who estimated the staff’saverage years of service to be about20 years. “Every one of them is knowledgeable,courteous and customerserviceoriented.”Expect to see Holland Log & CedarHomes expand into timber and“hybrid” home construction in the nearfuture, the latter of which is particularlycompelling during a time whenmore consumers become “green” andenvironmentally conscious. “We’ll beusing more reclaimed lumber,” saidNevins, “while also helping our customersachieve even higher energyefficiency from their homes.”•COLLINS -Continued from page 6the Portland headquarters for Collins.According to Lee Jimerson, CollinsPacific Albus Product Manager, thequality of the product is consistent,uniform and always available. “Theseproducts are FSC ‘Pure’ certifiedunder the principles and criteria of theFSC,” he said.The Collins Cos. is an investor inGTFF and was hired by GTFF to buildand operate the state-of-the-artsawmill, Upper Columbia Mill (UCM).As detailed in this unique agreement,The Collins Companies also marketsthe lumber products produced.Managing Director of Resource forGreenWood Resources Don Rice saidthe Boardman Tree Farm, which consistsof approximately 25,000 acres, iscontinually planted and managed on ashort rotation basis, targeting around12 years harvest age. “The UpperColumbia Mill, which is managed byour partner, The Collins Companies, islocated in the middle of the plantation,”Rice said, “so we are an off-highwayhaul from the farm to the sawmilland the average haul distance is threeor four miles.”The log yard at the mill is limitedbecause when the trees are cut, theynormally go directly into the sawmill.“The tree is literally cut down on dayone and could be processed on thesame day or at the latest on the thirdday,” Rice explained.Managed by GreenWood Resources,the Boardman Tree Farm utilizes 18employees on site that are primarilyirrigation specialists. “Many of ouractivities are done by contractors sothere are about 60 full time contractoremployees associated with the farm,”Rice said. “That total includes thefarming site, site prep, planting, cropcare and harvesting activities.”Galen Smith, Quality ControlSupervisor for the Upper ColumbiaMill, said current production for thesawmill, which includes a board andtimber line, is approximately 3.5 millionboard feet per month. “We’re averagingabout 125,000 feet through theboard trimmer and usually 60,000 feetof timbers each day,” he explained.Operating currently with 70 employeeswith a capacity for 100 on twoshifts, Jimerson said the operationincludes two sorting systems,” one forthe timber side, cutting 3x4’s, 4x6’sContinued on page 26HOLLAND -Continued from page 4cutbacks that have taken place overthe last year. “The downturn wasabrupt, and no one is stocking or buyingwhat they used to,” he explained.“A lot of the mills are now holding backand waiting, and that wait-and-seeapproach is impacting our industry.”One way Holland Log & CedarHomes differentiates itself in theindustry is by providing customerswith a concept-to-completion homepackage. This differs greatly from the1980s and 1990s business strategiesthat were largely rooted in “log homekit” sales. Those kits basically compriseda package or “list” of buildingmaterials that was handed off to anindependent contractor selected bythe new homeowner.“Our founder bought one of thesekits, and quickly learned how hard itwas to take two semi-tractor trailers oflogs – which were not even precut –and turn those materials into a loghome,” explained Nevins. “He felt hecould do a better job than that, andhence Holland Log & Cedar Homeswas born.” As the owner of a constructionfirm, Scott Christopher took

Page 24Western BusinessTrendsBy Terry MillerAssociate EditorW e s t e r nSoftwood supplierscontinue tobe a mixed groupas some contactsreport improvingactivity and othersquote unchanged conditions. Logshortages are a common issue asmany noted reduced offerings with amodest pick up in demand.In Colorado a supplier who manufacturesmostly Western Red Cedar saidsales picked up around the MemorialDay holiday and have continued toimprove. “We’re seeing some seasonalincreases, that’s for sure,” heexplained. “After the holiday, pricesstarted firming.”The contact mentioned transportationcosts are a constant issue. “We’vebeen dealing with fuel increases andshortages of trucks for the past sixmonths,” he said. “I don’t look for thatto change any time soon.”As for his customers markets, hesaid, “They’re picking up and theirinquiries are also improving. Our cabinetmanufacturers are starting toorder slightly in advance.”A source in Montana had similarcomments. “Buyers are covering theirneeds for the month ahead when theycan find the product. We actually lost afew orders recently because of availability,not prices,” he said.“Downward price pressures areaffecting No. 2 and Better boards andThe Softwood Forest Products Buyer1x12’s are at less than $600 per load,”winter. “We are having a hard timehe continued. “We’ve had some really Northeast Business getting the logs we need because thewet conditions and loggers can’t get tologgers are just now able to get athe logs because of it.”Trendsgood start,” he explained. However, heThe contact said lower grades arenoted that because demand was off,currently at better price levels thanthe shortages are not having a largehigher grades. “Most industrial pricesBy Sue Putnam impact on his operation.are firm but the uppers are still unstable,”he noted.Pine supplier said his particular oper-Editorial Director Also in Massachusetts a finger-joint“Our sales are up and inquiries areation is making modest gains over thedefinitely improving, but supply shortagesThe northeast last three months. “Like everybody inare a problem.” Looking ahead,region accounted the northeast, we had a tough winter.he thinks the rest of 2011 will be afor slow business The weather is drier now and we arestruggle of supply and demand fromconditions with seeing a slight pick up in sales.”both angles. “We are experiencing theapproximately a In other northeastern news, Maine’ssupply shortages now and the nature25 percent increasemedium-sized landowners may nowof our business is to produce more;from six have access to Sustainable Forestryby the end of 2011 I’m afraid the marketmonths earlier. Weather is the star of Initiative (SFI) certification thanks to awill be oversupplied again.”the show according to a source in recent pilot project. “SFI welcomesAn Idaho supplier accounted for Connecticut. “The snow is finally off and values this strategic partnership,”opposite business activity in general. the ground,” he explained. “I think the SFI President and CEO Kathy“Our immediate markets are still overproduced,”rain has stopped and we are finally Abusow said. “This project shows thehe explained. “We’ve cur-getting an improvement over our win-power of partnerships and the impor-tailed and are at half capacity right ter.”tance of responsible forestry from thenow.”Handling Douglas Fir, White Pine, forest floor to magazine stands.”The source also said demand is Hemlock and Cedar, the contact said The initial pilot project that began indown with buyers purchasing contract all species have equivalent increases. 2010 offered a rigorous yet more costeffectivetruckloads from secondary manufacturers.“Compared to 90 days ago our inven-and coordinated approachHowever, he did say that prices tory is lower and our prices are up. I for medium-sized landowners to seekare trending down. “Prices are down think prices will flatten but I don’t think forest certification, as well as offering$15 on average from spring levels and they will go down.”resources to support responsible forestI expect them to fall another $20 As for other issues affecting his operation,management. This led to an addi-before the summer ends. But demandlabor was high on his list. “It’s tional 620,000 acres of lands certifiedis so low that it doesn’t take much to difficult to find good people.”to the SFI standard in Maine. The projectmeet it.”Serving retail lumberyards the contactextension announced recentlyA bright spot for the supplier, hissaid his client’s activity was also involves new landowners, includinginternational markets have picked up slow. When asked about the months Hilton Timberlands LLC, and isslightly. “We are receiving a modest ahead he said, “I think we’ll bump expected to add another 600,000increase from our export markets,” he along the bottom for a while.”acres of certified lands.said.“We’ve had more inquiries but orders Abusow said it made sense to startAccording to builder sources in the overall have been scarce,” an Eastern the project in Maine because of theWestern region, new affordable tract White Pine supplier in Massachusetts state’s strong commitment to foresthomes are beginning to sell. The commented. “A lot of our customers certification. She said the SFI programhomes that come with solar panels are still trying to move off old orders. is looking for ways to expand the workresult in minimal utility bills. Prices Mostly the orders we are receiving are through its network of 37 grassrootsstart on average at $140,000 in mixed truckloads and just-in-time.” SFI Implementation Committees. “TheArizona and $160,000 in Nevada.The source said supply shortages Maine SFI Implementation CommitteeContinued on page 31 are an issue due to the extremely wetContinued on page 31Service Beyond Your Expectations – Make the Headache Go AwayIncrease Your Bottom Line• Industrial Supplier (Plywood, OSB, Lumber)• Flooring• Building Materials (Closeout, Liquidation, Import, Seconds)• Crane Mats• Pole & PilingWWW.GULFCOASTSHELTER.COMPHONE: 866-517-1240 – FAX: 251-517-1241DAPHNE, AL/LAUREL, MSDaphne sales office

July/August 2011 Page 25Ontario/QuebecBusiness TrendsBy Michelle KellerAssociate EditorFor those who areable to take advantageof foreign markets, the Softwoodlumber trade is seeing better days. Butfor those who are restricted, either bychoice or design to domestic sales,the prospect of improved numbersremains elusive. Despite this, mill andwholesale owners remain optimisticthat the market, even on the domesticfront, will improve. The only questionthat remains is when.The purchasing agent for an Ontariomill said his company’s internationalsales had increased over the pastyear, but added that production numbersfor the United States andCanada remained unimpressive atbest.“If you’re looking at the global picture,I would say it had probably gone up,”he said of demand. “But if you arelooking at North America, I’d say itwas flat.”He tied the anemic domestic numbersdirectly to the U.S. economy,specifically the housing market. Henoted that annual housing starts in theU.S. dipped from approximately twomillion several years ago to about500,000 today. The Canadian markethas slowed as well, but from 200,000housing starts down to about 180,000.In contrast, he noted, there has beena significant increase in constructionstarts in China, leading to moredemand for two-by-fours. He addedthat he is seeing a lot more wideboards heading to China, where theyare ripped down.If the Chinese economy continues togrow, he predicted an increaseddemand for Softwood that would beused as substrates for the furnitureconstruction industry. In this case, thePine base would be used as a substructurefor veneers and laminates,as in the case of some tabletops.“I think the Chinese market is goingto continue to grow and we’ll see moreemerging markets for SPF now thatwe can export,” he said, citingchanges to the tariff codes. He predictedthat, in addition to China,Canadian Softwood lumber producerswould also find greener markets indeveloping nations such as India.Although some have decried the risingfuel costs as one of the factors thathas continued to batter the Softwoodmarket, this purchaser said that thecost is often passed downstream tothe consumer.“When the surcharge goes up, weshift to rail,” he said, adding that if andwhen rail costs rise, they will likelyswitch back to trucks.At a Quebec mill, one sales representativeshared much the same storyregarding the level of domesticdemand. “It’s probably a little bit lessthan what we were expecting,” he saidof market growth. “Last year, everyonewas expecting it would be better, but ithas not been as nice as expectations.”He added that from a domestic pointof view, everyone he knows is hopingfor a better year in 2012.Unfortunately, he noted, thereContinued on page 31South/SoutheastBusiness TrendsBy Gary MillerManaging EditorAccording tosources in thesoutheast region, prices of SouthernYellow Pine (SYP) have been off forthe higher grades, forcing industrialgrades to soften.“About this time lastyear prices of No. 2 SYP hit their highand stayed there for quite awhile.Early this year those prices started tofall and prices on the lower gradeshave decreased also,” a supplier inMississippi mentioned.When asked about the factorsinvolved in his operation’s currentbusiness conditions, the contact said,“Overall the economy is not makinglarge enough gains to keep demandfor upper grade lumber moving. Pricesare especially low in the 2x6’s.”Whether or not prices will continue totrend lower, the source said, dependson upper grade pricing along withother factors. “As we continue to growour No. 3 and 4 inventories, prices ofindustrials are subject to more cuts,”he explained. He also said some buyershave shown more interest in 4x4’ssince the price of the 8’ dropped about$100 in recent weeks. Another factorhe mentioned is paper mills. “We’vehad some wet months and the papermills have been going strong and payingbig bucks for logs, which hasmade it difficult for sawmills to competewhen trying to purchase logs.”As for transportation costs the suppliersaid while they are rising, he isn’texperiencing anything out of the ordinaryfor this time of year. “As we hitthe summer months, fuel rates alwaysincrease. The area of concern withtransportation for us right now is ashortage of trucks. We have ordersready to ship but are unable to getthem out for a couple of days as aresult of trucking availability.”When asked about the outlook for theremainder of 2011 the contact said, “Ithink we’ll do good if we break eventhis year. Anything is bound to be animprovement over 2010.”In Tennessee a Softwood suppliersaid his prices for treated SYP haveimproved. “Warmer weather haslargely contributed to our sales overall.Fuel prices are still a primary concernfor us. Surcharges continue torise and we try to absorb some of it,but it’s getting harder.”As for what lies ahead in the remaininghalf of 2011 the source is optimistic.“We’ve seen some goodmonths since April, so I think businesswill continue to stabilize.”An Alabama supplier said marketconditions are better from a year agobut recovery is marginal. “I think ourprimary concern is the bank’s unwillingnessto loan money to the builders.”Handling Southern Yellow Pine,Cypress, Cedar and Spruce, the contactsaid he is not having many availabilityissues. “There does seem to bea little shortage of Cypress out there.However, most of the Softwoodspecies of lumber are in relativelygood supply right now.He did mention his inventory levelsare down about ten percent. “AgainContinued on page 32

Page 26COLLINS -Continued from page 23and 3x7’s, and another for our boards,cutting 4/4 and 5/4.”Jimerson also said the green chainconsists of sixteen slanted sort bins,allowing them to sort by thickness andlength. From the sort bins, the lumberheads down the green chain to theMoCo stickering stacker, which makes8’ wide by almost 6’ high units.The mill also utilizes five dry kilnsmanufactured by SII Dry Kilns locatedin Lexington, N.C. “The kilns are SIIside loading cross flow dry kilns withfive chambers each holding 125,000board feet per charge on a 4/4 basis,”Jimerson explained. “SII kilns are fantastic.However, you don’t see manySII kilns on the West Coast. They giveyou very even air flow through theunits, better than most other kilns, inpart, because the lumber is stacked in8-foot wide units and are only stackedtwo units deep in the kilns.”“In the beginning the green lumberweighs in at about five pounds aboard foot,” Jimerson continued.“When it dries, it’s about 1.6 poundsper board foot.”The kilns and planer facility are locatednine miles from the sawmill at thePort of Morrow, due to the pre-existingsteam from the PGE Coyote SpringsElectrical Co-Gen facility. The steam isa by-product of the co-gen operation,thereby eliminating the necessity ofinstalling a boiler.Transportation doesn’t get much easierfor a sawmill. “We have a UnionPacific rail siding at the planer, and weare less than a mile away from thePort of Morrow dock where the containersare located on a barge thatgoes down the Columbia River to thePort of Portland for export,” Jimersonsaid. In addition, we are right on highwayI-84, so we’re on a terrific transportationhub.”Available at the mill’s onsite conferenceroom and online atwww.CollinsWood.com are photos ofeach grade of the lumber with thegrade specifications.Jimerson went on to explain withstaining, Pacific Albus may be finishedto look like many other speciesbecause of its light color. “You canmake it look like maple, alder, cherry,walnut or even Incense Cedar.”Among the benefits, he said, theproduct is great for resawing. “It sandsreally well, embosses well and,because of its low density, it’s verygood for applications where weight iscritical such as snowboards, tradeshow booths and pallet/packaging.The low density also makes it ideal forthermal insulated applications andacoustic applications, such as woodenceiling grids.”Collins’ target markets for PacificAlbus include the entire supply chain.“We market to exporters, distributors,retailers and OEM’s,” Jimerson noted.The family-owned Collins Cos. wasestablished in 1855, when T.D.Collins began timber operations inPennsylvania. By the turn of the century,the family had expanded west tomanage 94,000 acres in northeasternCalifornia. Today the firm’s holdingsalso include three forests, each withan associated sawmill, including the120,000 acre Collins’ Pennsylvaniaforest with Kane Hardwood sawmill;the 91,000 acre Collins’ LakeviewForest in southern Oregon and northernCalifornia with Lakeview Sawmill(Fremont Sawmill); and the 95,000acre Collins’ Almanor forest in northernCalifornia with Chester Sawmill(Collins Pine). Additionally, Collinsowns Richwood Hardwood sawmill inWest Virginia. Collins Products LLC,which manufactures TruWood ® Sidingand Trim and Collins PineParticleboard ® , are both availableFSC certified. For more information,visit www.CollinsWood.com.WRCLA -Continued from page 7•alternative non-wood building materialsfor residential decking and sidingapplications. The study by Canada’sleading forestry research laboratory,FPInnovations-Forintek compared arange of environmental impacts similarto those in EPDs. Cedar substantiallyoutperformed its competitors inevery category.“We are very confident thatEnvironmental Product Declarations,once put into wide use in NorthAmerica, will arrive at the same conclusion,that Western Red Cedar representsthe most authentic, trulygreen siding and decking choice forarchitects and consumers,” said JackDraper, WRCLA managing director.WRCLA believes “apples-to-applescomparisons” of the environmentalperformance of building products is inthe public interest.“Sustainability means leaving theearth as good, or better, than youfound it – on Earth Day and everyday,” he added. “Real Cedar is carbonneutral, renewable and recyclablewhen compared to building materialsmade from carbon contributing composites.”About Western Red Cedar LumberAssociation:Western Red Cedar LumberAssociation is a Vancouver, B.C.The Softwood Forest Products Buyerbased non-profit association knownas “the voice of the Cedarindustry.” Founded in 1954, the associationoperates architect advisoryand technical service programsthroughout the U.S. and Canada. Itseeks to inspire, inform and instructarchitects and consumers aboutWestern Red Cedar, its uses and benefits.Western Red Cedar is one ofnature’s truly remarkable buildingmaterials. Not only does it have distinctivebeauty, natural durability andcenturies of proven performance,Western Red Cedar is the ultimategreen product. It produces fewergreenhouse gases, generates lesswater and air pollution, requires lessenergy to produce than alternativesand comes from a renewable and sustainableresource. Equally important,Western Red Cedar is carbon neutral.For more information, please visitwww.wrcla.org.•MIDWEST TRENDS -Continued from page 16“Because of the Pine Beetle infestation,ESLP was in short supply lastyear. We were beginning to see someavailability in recent months, but thatseems to have tightened back upagain,” he said.The contact also mentioned that he isexpecting a mild increase in businessactivity for the coming months. “Wehave seen some positive signs thisyear already. I think we’ll come out onthe better side at the end of 2011,” hecommented.An Iowa supplier said his prices aresteady and activity is good. “We’vebeen able to supply the needs of ourContinued on page 30CHARACTER BUILDINGBuilding with Eastern White Pine is character building.are, how you chooseto live and your commitmentto authenticity. To learnmore about buildingwitheastern white pine visit www.easternwhitepine.or.org.It is a reflection of who youWill your next project have character?