Vast upside for value-?dded OSB

[1NGINEERED wood products

I-lsuch as OSB continue to replace traditional lumber in home construction.

Processed with wood and adhesives, they exhibit stronger properties than their sawn lumber counterparts, and have not only caught on among architects and builders but are appreciated by home buyers.

Larger homes will also require more product usage, including OSB. The National Association of Home

Builders estimates new homes will average 2,200 sq. ft. by 2010, up from 1,000 sq. ft. in 1950 and 2,000 sq. ft. today. Larger garages, larger rooms and higher ceilings will require more paneling, sheathing and flooring supporting longer spans. OSB's flexible 4'x9' to 4'x10' sizing fits higher ceilings, works well with wall assemblies, and offers reliable shear strength.

The market will remain lucrative for those who deliver on quality. Although interest rates are expected to take a bite out of the furious pace of housing starts in the U.S., don't forget that more than 50Vo of the U.S. population by 2010 will be between 25-64 years old. That demographic group will spend the most on buying new homes, building new ones or renovating existing homes. Boomers will make up half of this group.

Many of these home buyers will be from double-income families. If current trends prevail, they will demand and pay for improved quality in home components and products. Manufacturers realize this as much as builders. If the old sheathing panels that builders referred to as "commodity" were classified as regular gasoline, the panels that you will see today and in the future will be closer to premium with one great exception: they will be priced more competitively.

No longer will every professional identify OSB as a sheathing panel, because companies are producing new specialty panels as well as engineered components. These products will continue to take over important parts of the residential construction process that have not historically been associated wirh osB.

I-joists, which began to make inroads from the 1990s, are expected to support more than half of new homes that will be built in the U.S. soon. Made of OSB webs connected by lumber or LVL flanges, I-joists reportedly do not crown, shrink, split, warp, twist or pull away from the subfloor like sawn lumber ioists. Thev are lighter than lumber, strong enough to carry large loads, and reduce or eliminate squeaky floors. I-joists are among the fastest-selling wood products in residential construction.

Structural insulated panels, made up of a core foam sandwiched by OSB panels, are also catching on in residential construction. Acceptance of SIPs is high among builders and architects concerned about insulation. comfort.

No longer will every

professional identify OSB as a sheathing panel, because companies are producing new specialty panels as well as engineered components.

strength and sound-proofing characteristics.

SIPs offer cost advantages. A small custom house with SIPs can be built. sheathed. insulated and sealed for air tightness in one day. Owens Corning recently launched a new line of SIPs.

Manufacturers are doing wonderful things with panels. One firm has introduced an OSB panel incorporating perforated aluminum, which acts as a barrier to keep out as much as 95Vo of the sun's radiant heat. Firms are also offering lifetime or 5O-year warranties for flooring systems combining OSB tongue-and-groove panels with I-joists.

Another firm is offering an OSB concrete forming product that will be used for industrial applications to build concrete walls and foundations-an application long dominated by plywood. The new product consists of an OSB panel, with a medium density overlay, which allows for multiple usage. This development signals OSB's increasing diversification into new markets.

l:rrlrnl

Bracut Industrial Park's owners, Denny and Arlene Hess, are seeking approval to build a 120,000-sq. ft. home center on the Eureka, Ca., site, replacing The Mill Yard and A&I Roofing

Sears is closing four Sears Hardware outlets in Las Vegas, Nv., and Orchard Supply Hardware stores in Whittier and West Covina. Ca.

Ziggy's is close to finalizing the purchase of 7.5 acres in Moses Lake, Wa., for a 54,000-sq. ft. store

Franklin Building Sapply, Boise, Id., has purchased a 41,000sq. ft. lot

Horne Depot opens a newly relocated, 108,627-sq. ft. store this month in Fremont, Ca.; anticipates a May 21 opening in Boise, Id.; hopes to break ground late this year on 11.5 acres in Woodland, Ca.; is about to begin construction in Lake Havasu City, Az.; will begin building next month in Monterey Park, Ca., for a July opening, and has acquired 15.39 acres for its 2nd Valencia. Ca.. store ...

Home Depot got a planning commission okay to relocate its La Mirada, Ca., outlet; received preliminary approval to proceed with a Lewiston, [d., store; submitted revised plans to build a 129,787sq. ft. store in Beaverton, Or.; is fighting resident opposition to a proposed store in OrangeVale, Ca., and is considering adding Expo Design Centers in Westwood Village and lrvine, Ca.

Lowe's Cos. has opened new stores in Chandler, Az. (Mark Schlosser, gen. mgr.), and Colorado Springs, Co.; opens next month in Wood Village, Or.; plans an April 1 opening in Tigard, Or., and is building a 150,000-sq. ft. store with 32,666-sq. ft. garden center in N. Phoenix, Az., for an early summer unveiling

Lowet breaks ground this month in Burbank, Ca.; hopes to begin construction in the late spring in Oceanside, Ca.; plans to open a 135,000-sq. ft. store plus 48,475-sq. ft. garden center next year in South Sacramento, Ca.; is seeking permission to build in Hillsboro, Or.; will break ground in the spring on a 2nd Albuquerque, N.M., location and is scouting for additional sites in the city

Ganahl Lumber Co., Los Alamitos, Ca., is adding a new Will Call office" headed bv Keith McGrath...

Wrotrsrrns/tlrurrcrur:rs

Coalition for Fair Lumber Imports intends to file a countervailing duty case with the Department of Commerce if U.S. and Canadian officials aren't close to finalizing a new agreement when the Softwood Lumber Agreement expires March 31

Siskiyou Forest Products, Anderson, Ca., has purchased Cal Cedar's drying facility, including kilns, stacker, sorting chain and 48 acres; Siskiyou is offering custom drying at the plant

Universal Forest Products agreed to acquire 50Vo of the assets of D&R Framing Contractors, Englewood, Co.o a longtime customer of Universal's Lafayette, Co., manufacturing plant; Universal, through a wholly owned subsidiary, will form a limited liability company with David Baltz, D&R's operations manager, to purchase IffiVo of D&R's assets

Tali-Pak Lumber & Milling, Hopland, Ca., has acquired four acres adjacent to its reman plant

Woodco Sales has relocated to new Portland, 0r., offices

G e org ia- P ac ific's temporarily shuttered Fort Bragg, Ca., sawmill suffered power outages from a small tornado that also affected shipping

Building Material Distributors, Inc., Galt, Ca., has expanded its Vernon, Ca., DC to 95,000 sq. ft., accommodating its Building Products Division and also now housing its Import Brokerage Group, purchasing and sales management staffs, and southern California's adminisffation staff

Boise Cascade, Boise, Id., temporarily shut down its Cascade sawmill and Emmett drying plant; plywood and laminated beam operations continue to run in Emmett

BC's Building Materials Division, Denver, Co., is now distributing SpaceJoisl engineered joists

Belco, Inc. has completed its move to new BN and UP railserved quarters in Tacoma, Wa. .,.

Hampton Affiliate s, Portland, Or., has launched Hamptonline, allowing customers 2417 access to current invoices, order acknowledgements, purchase histories, tracking orders and tracing rail shipments

Roseburg Forest Products' California operations, managed by Roseburg Forest Products, Roseburg, Or., have been SmartWood certified; the 316,543 acres of No. Ca. timberlands reportedly marks the single largest certification in the state

W.R. Grace & Co. is considering Chapter 11 bankruptcy amid increasing asbestos litigation

Willamette Industries' full line of composite panel products have been certified by Scientific Certffication Systems ...

New Web sites: Atessco, Inc., Santa Rosa, Ca., www.atesscoinc. com Sticktrade.com, Seatlle, Wa." www.sticktrade.com World Wide Wood Network, Yelm, Wa., www. wwwood.net .,. Lumber Association of California & Nevada, Sacramento, Ca., www. lumberassoc.com ...

Anniversari es:. Contact Lumber Co.. Portland, Or., 55th . Capital Lumber Co., Phoenix, Az.,53rd ... B rid g e r Fore st P roducts, Belgrade, Mt..6th

Housing starts in Dec. (latest figs.) held steady at an annual rate of 1.575 million single family starts rose 6Vo to a 1.313 million rate permits fell 7 vo.

Listings are often submitted months in advance. Always verifu dates and locations with sponsor before making plans to attend.

Frrnumv

International Mass Retail Association - Feb. 13-16, store operations and human resources seminar, The Buttes Wyndham Resort, Tempe, Az.; (703) 841-2300.

National Roofing Contractors Association - Feb. 14-17, annual convention, Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco, Ca.; (847) 299-9070.

Wood Truss Council of America - Feb. 14-17, truss technician training seminars, Salt Lake City, Ut.; Feb. 28-March 3, Seattle, Wa.; (608) 274-4849.

International Hardware Fair - Feb. 18-21, The Fairgrounds, Cologne, Germany; (212) 97 4-8835.

International lfardware Fair - Feb. 18-21, The Fairgrounds, Cologne, Germany; (212) 97 4-8835.

Builder Marts of America - Feb 19-21, spring market, Paris Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Ca.; (864) 281-3633.

Western Wood Products Association - Feb. 21, LACN cosponsored Know Your Lumber seminars, Sacramento; Feb. 23, Buena Park, Ca.; (800) 550-7889.

Wood Moulding & Millwork Producers Association - Feb. 2124,38th annual meeting, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 550-7889.

Western Building Material Association - Feb.23, sales workshop, WBMA Hq., Olympia, Wa.; (888) 551-9262.

Jensen Distribution Services - Feb. 24-25, spring dealer market, Spokane Convention Center, Spokane, Wa.; (509) 624-132L

National Wooden Pallet & Container Association - Feb. ?A27, annual meeting & expo, Orlando, Fl.; (703) 52'7-7667.

Window & Door Manufacturers Association - Feb, 24-28, 74th annual meeting, Hilton Torrey Pines, La Jolla, Ca.; (800) 223-2301.

lUlnncr

American Hardware Manufacturers Association - March 4-7, educational seminar, Glendale, Az.; (847) 605- 1025.

Western Building Material Association - March 7, estimating workshop, Holiday Inn, Bozeman, Mt.; March 13, hiring workshop, WBMA Hq., Olympia, Wa.; March 14, sales mgr. seminar, Olympia; March 15, outside sales workshop, Olympia; (888) 551-9262.

Los Angeles Hardwood Lumberman's Club - March 8, spring golf tournament, ('714) 538-2250.

Mountain States Lumber & Building Material Dealers Association - March 8-9, products expo, Denver Merchandise Mart Expo Hall, Denver, Co.; (800) 365-0919.

North American Building Material Distribution AssociationMarch 8-10, executive management conference, The Pointe Hilton at Tapatio Cliffs, Phoenix, Az.; (888) 747-'7862.

Western Wood Products Association - March 10-13, spring meeting, Doubletree Lloyd Center, Portland, Or.; (503) 2243930.

Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association - March 12-15, spring committee meetings, Denver, Co.; (410) 546-0791.

International Panel & Engineered Wood Technology Clinic & Show - March 14-16, Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Or.; (800) 227-4675.

International Wood Products Association - March 14-16,45th annual convention, Coronado Plaza Hotel, San Juan, Puerto Rico; (703) 820-6696.

American Woodworker Show - March 16-18, Convention Center, San Diego, Ca.; (800) 914-9395.