Engineered Wood Continues Meteoric Rise

North American structural wood Certain engineered wood products panel production rose 2.7Vo last year will enjoy even stronger demand to a record 36.93 billion sq. ft. (3/8" growth. North American production basis), a mark that is expected to be of wood I-joists, which rose 26Vo last eclipsed again this year, reports year to 627 million linear ft., should APA-The Engineered Wood Associ- approach I billion linear ft. by 2000. ation.

Although U.S. glulam production fell about 2Vo last year to 315 million bd. ft., by 2000 production is expected to reboundby l3Vo. APA attributes last year's decline in large part to a new consumption tax and the economic slowdown in Japan, a leading glulam export market.

Wood l-joists' share of the residen-

It was the fourth consecutive tial floor markets is forecast to reach record-setting year and the sixth year 50Vo-60Vo in the next five to seven of volume increase since a 1991 mini- years, compared to about 33Vo today. recessron.

LVL production increased 20Vo

This year production should rise last year to 37.7 million cu. ft., and about 2Vo to 37 .55 billion ft. should rise another 25Vo this vear.