Newsletter -12.16.2011
Design Value Forum Report Submitted to SPIB and ALSC
The results of a working session of Southern Pine lumber producers, component manufacturers, builders, lumber dealers and technical experts regarding proposed design values for visually graded Southern Pine lumber are now available in a 31-page report. Click here to read the report, recently submitted to the Board of Governors of the Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB), the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) and the ALSC Board of Review.
The Southern Forest Products Association facilitated the Southern Pine Design Value Forum, held November 15-16 in Atlanta. “The forum included representatives from a wide cross section of stakeholders.” says Cathy Kaake, SFPA’s senior director of engineered and framing markets. “SPIB and ALSC were asked to give careful and deliberate consideration to this report to ensure that sound science prevails, disruptions in the marketplace are minimized, and confidence in the process is restored for all stakeholders,” Cathy added.
The last major change for visually graded dimension lumber occurred in 1991 when design values for Southern Pine and other North American species were published based on In-Grade testing of full-size samples of commercially produced lumber. SPIB is the first rules-writing agency to submit new values. Rules-writing agencies responsible for other species are in different stages for evaluating design values.
Complete information about SPIB’s proposed design values for visually graded dimension lumber is available at SouthernPine.com. For questions or comments about this information or the Atlanta forum, contact Cathy at ckaake@sfpa.org.
All information related to SPIB’s proposed design values is pending approval by the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) Board of Review. Prior to the ALSC Board of Review’s next meeting – set for January 5, 2012 in Washington, DC – ALSC is soliciting written comments from all interested parties, to be received no later than December 22, 2011. Direct comments to Tom Searles, ALSC President by fax to 301/540-8004, or by e-mail to alsc@alsc.org.
SP Trade Data Released for October
Another robust month for exports of Southern Pine lumber, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service. Southern Pine exports are estimated to be approximately 37 million board feet (MMbf), 17 percent above the volume for September. Of October’s shipments, 10.5 MMbf is rough lumber, 17.3 MMbf is dressed, and 9.8 MMbf is treated lumber. Year-to-date Southern Pine exports are estimated to be 335 MMbf, a hefty 28 percent ahead of this time last year.
Softwood lumber imports to the U.S. are estimated to be 825 MMbf in October, three percent above September imports. Year-to-date, imports are down four percent compared to the first ten months of 2010. Canada shipped approximately 799 MMbf to the U.S. in October, and 7.3 billion board feet year-to-date.
SFPA members can find detailed reports in the Members Only sections at SFPA.org. For questions, contact Russell Richardson, director of treated and industrial markets, at 504/443-4463, ext. 239, or by e-mail at rrichardson@sfpa.org.
Check-off Board Holds First Meeting
The first meeting of the Softwood Lumber Board (SLB) was held recently in Chicago to officially launch the softwood lumber check-off, a unified industry-funded promotion program created last June by a referendum.
“I am gratified and encouraged by the commitment of this new Board to the goal of working progressively together to build a better future for the industry,” said Jack Jordan, Executive Vice President of Jordan Lumber & Supply, Inc., in North Carolina, who was elected to serve as the Board’s First Chairman.
The Board voted to create an executive committee, a programs committee, a finance committee, plus a governance and industry relations committee. Primary agenda items were devoted to discussions of program criteria and guidelines. The Board’s directive to its programs committee: focus as much of the funds as possible on market development initiatives; programs will need to demonstrate a significant return on investment to the softwood lumber industry through activities that:
* Increase demand, generate sales, or improve market conditions;
* Protect and maintain softwood lumber markets (such as code and standards work);
* Develop new uses and applications for softwood lumber.
Beginning January 1, shipments will be subject to assessment, but will not be invoiced for payment until the end of the first quarter 2012. Next month, the SLB will send detailed procedures to each softwood lumber manufacturer and importer of record, and request documentation of multi-year shipment volumes. Companies that regularly ship or import less than 15 million board feet annually will be issued a certificate of exemption, and will not be invoiced for assessments. Certificates of exemption must be renewed annually, and any amounts domestically shipped or imported in excess of 15 million board feet in any calendar year will be subject to assessments.
For more details of this inaugural SLB meeting, click here to read the full news release. The SLB will provide updates on its program efforts, available on the SLB website. The SLB is scheduled to meet again in February 2012.
House Totally Made in America
A house made entirely of American-made products? ABC News recently found one in Bozeman, Montana. Economist turned builder Anders Lewendal calculates that if every builder bought only 5% more American-made materials, 220,000 jobs would result. Click here to view the story; click here for the list of products used to build the home.
Wood: a Modern Marvel
Modern Marvels will premiere an episode all about wood on Monday night (12/19), 10pm eastern time (9pm central) on the History 2 channel (H2); check your local listings. This broadcast could be a positive message for wood products, based on the cable channel’s capsule summary:
“Hundreds of years before steel and plastic, wood was the building block of America. But even today, it touches every aspect of our lives. It’s underneath our feet and flying through the sky, propping up skyscrapers and making burgers fry — from the historical, to the modern, to the timeless, we explore the surprising ways we cannot live without WOOD”.
Follow SFPA
Reminder: follow SFPA happenings via Twitter @Southern_Pine
