Newsletter

Successful Seminars in Mexico

Recently, a pair of educational seminars in Monterey and Mexico City enhanced the knowledge of U.S. softwood products among importers, distributors, architects and builders.

During their visit, a four-member team from American Softwoods (AMSO) toured Maderería NASA, one of the largest pallet manufacturers in the country, with operations in Tampico and Monterey. The company’s close proximity to a port enables them to export pallets and custom packaging to a wide customer base. While at the Tampico facility, SFPA’s Eric Gee delivered a presentation to the firm’s purchasing managers and sales personnel. Eric explained Southern Pine grades, various treatments and applications. He fielded questions from the group related to the strength and durability properties of Southern Pine.

The two seminars were well-attended by architects, designers, engineers and lumber distributors. Eric’s presentation focused on the many structural uses of Southern Pine products, primarily in residential construction.

New VP at Robinson Lumber

SFPA member Robinson Lumber Company recently announced the promotion of Court Robinson to become the company’s Vice President. Building on his four years’ experience as Pine Business Development Manager – a position he retains – Court will lead Robinson Lumber’s international logistics teams, which manage business relationships that span the globe. Court will also now focus on designing effective international shipping strategies and enhancing internal operations companywide.

“We are excited to have such talented leadership dedicated to improving how we move products around the globe,” said company president Joe Buckhaults. “Court brings focus and problem-solving skills to our logistics operations, which will immediately improve our ability to serve both our customers and suppliers with timely and accurate shipments. And with annual movements in excess of 10,000 loads, those improvements will have a material impact on our bottom line.”

Robinson Lumber Company is celebrating its 125th year in business and fifth generation of family ownership.

SFPA Welcomes New Member

SFPA welcomes Progress Industries, Inc. of Trussville, Alabama, as a new Associate member. Established more than 40 years ago, the company is recognized as a world leader in the design of chip mills and wood utilization equipment. Progress Industries continues its long tradition of maintaining a technological edge, staffed with talented engineers and highly trained tradesmen.

Johnny Tarassoli is vice president of the company and will represent Progress Industries with SFPA. Contact him at 205/655-8875 or send an e-mail to jtara@progressindustries.com.  To learn more about Progress Industries, visit www.progressindustries.com.

No Import Tariffs on U.S. Lumber

With much relief, U.S. lumber is not among the products facing increased import tariffs in the wake of escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and many of our trading partners. China, Mexico, Canada and the European Union are collectively raising tariffs on billions of dollars of products they import from the U.S. in response to Washington’s efforts to curb imports. Fortunately, wood products are largely spared, with the exception of a 10% tariff on plywood exports to Canada.

“Each country’s list of targeted products is largely similar”, says Jerry Hingle, the Southern Pine Council’s international program consultant. “Tariffs on steel and aluminum are heavily targeted, but so is a long list of agriculture products strategically chosen to harm certain congressional districts in the U.S. Thankfully, our industry dodged this one”, he adds.

SFPA Welcomes New Member

SFPA welcomes McDonough Manufacturing Company of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, as a new Associate member. Founded in 1888, McDonough has focused on delivering the efficiency and speed required by today’s sawmills. The company’s product lines include band mills, carriages, resaws and edgers.

Matt Tietz is the company’s owner and will represent McDonough Manufacturing with SFPA. Contact him at 715/834-7755 or send an e-mail to mtietz@mcdonough-mfg.com. To learn more about McDonough Manufacturing, visit www.mcdonough-mfg.com.

EXPO 2019 Exhibit Sales Timeline Set

Beginning May 15, SFPA will be mailing the Exhibitor Prospectus for Expo 2019 to all companies who participated in the previous Expo. SFPA Members will have until July 15th to select their location and return a completed Exhibit Space Application. Later this year SFPA will mail the Exhibitor Prospectus to potential exhibiting companies who have participated in previous Expos or have expressed an interest in becoming an exhibitor at Expo 2019.

Click here for more information about how the booth selection and assignment process works. Click here for exhibit space rates and more details about the show, to be held June 26-28, 2019 at Atlanta’s Georgia World Congress Center.

“I’m sharing this timeline with all members and past exhibitors to illustrate the window of opportunity to select an exhibit space – it’s a brief twelve weeks,” notes exposition director Eric Gee. “After September 15,

Sawmill Safety Awards Announced

Six SFPA member sawmills are recipients of the Sawmill Safety Award, recognizing outstanding safety records during 2017.

SFPA lumber manufacturer members are considered for the award based on information submitted regarding occupational injuries and illnesses. Safety performance is judged by how each mill’s safety record stacks up against facilities with comparable lumber output throughout the year. Division I includes sawmills that produce 50 million board feet or less annually; Division II sawmills produce 51 to 150 million board feet; and Division III mills produce more than 150 million board feet. The six sawmills being honored this year:

Division I

• Weyerhaeuser Company – Zwolle, La

Division II

• Canfor Southern Pine – Urbana, AR; Graham, NC
• Weyerhaeuser Company – Millport, AL; Holden, LA

Division III

• Weyerhaeuser Company – Bruce,

Successful Spring Meeting

Some 200 registered attendees convened in Atlanta last week for the 2018 SFPA/SLMA Spring Meeting & Expo.  The meeting kicked off with a welcome reception and dinner at the College Football Hall of Fame on Wednesday night. The agenda featured meetings of both boards of directors, as well as industry updates covering tax reform plus issues related to the environment and sustainability. A trade expo featured displays from more than three dozen companies offering products and services to the wood industry.

The SFPA Board of Directors received staff reports on the progress of Expo 2019, the Raised Floor Living campaign and SFPA publications, an update on the recent International inbound China mission, reviewed 2017 financial statements, approved an amendment to the Savings Incentive Plan, and discussed future meetings. The SFPA Board of Directors also welcomed new member, Conifex El Dorado, Inc.

Remodeled Website: RaisedFloorLiving.com is Live!

SFPA is pleased to announce the launch of the remodeled website, RaisedFloorLiving.com. This updated site creates an information hub for both homebuilders and homebuyers featuring all the advantages and specifications to build a raised floor home. The new portal for building professionals, RaisedFloorLivingPro.com strikes a perfect balance between clear and logical navigation and extensive details to satisfy the needs of its users. Raised Floor Living’s expertise in the industry is demonstrated through dynamic charts, tables, diagrams and attractive imagery that will serve lumber dealers as helpful resources. Searchability is also incorporated into the site for easy access to information. Style and function merge into a website that provides a comprehensive, educational portal for Raised Floor Living’s growing acceptance, especially in flood-prone areas.

This remodeled site will support the new edition of “Raised Wood Floor Foundations – Design & Construction Guide” which is available as a PDF download from the publications page of SouthernPine.com.

SFPA Welcomes Westwood Heat Treated Lumber Corporation

SFPA welcomes Westwood Heat Treated Lumber Corporation of Macon, Georgia as a new Associate member. Westwood Heat Treated Lumber Corporation is a technology and patent holder for the thermo-modification of wood – a Green alternative for pressure-treated lumber. In 2007, Westwood installed four thermo-modification chambers at US hardwood sawmills. Westwood is now introducing softwood thermo-modification to the United States with plans to place softwood thermo-modification kilns at softwood sawmills – producing thermo-treated SYP decking.

Igor Danchenko, Ph.D., is the company’s president. Contact Igor at 478/228-5555 or send an e-mail to wood@westwoodcorporation.com. To learn more about Westwood Heat Treated Lumber Corporation, visit www.thermotreatedwood.com and www.thermotreatedpine.com