Engineered Panels Approach New Highs

Nearly all segments of the North American structural engineered wood products industry will operate at record or near-record production levels again this year, according to the latest annual five-year forecast by APA-The Engineered Wood Association.

Plywood and OSB production is forecast to reach 38.75 billion sq. ft. (3/8" basis), possibly slightly exceeding last year's record. Panel production has risen every year since 1992, when it reached 30.6 billion ft.

The 1999 forecast assumes North American housing starts, including manufactured homes, will total 2.08 million, down about 51,(X)0 units from

1998, which translates into about 457 million sq. ft. of demand. That loss, however, should be offset by gains in remodeling, industrial and export markets and continued increases in the size of single-family homes. Per-unit consumption of structural panels in 1998 was 11,600 sq. ft. in single-family houses and 4,035 in multifamily units.

Residential construction is forecast this year to consume 487o of structural panels, remodeling 207o, industrial applications 187o, nonresidential construction l0%o, and international markets 4Vo.

U.S. and Canadian structural wood panel exports are forecast to rebound to 1.6 billion sq. ft. this year and to continue climbing to 2.4 billion ft. in 2003, following just 1.3 billion ft. in 1998. Japan, Europe and Mexico account for TOVo of North American structural wood panel exports.

The panel industry expects to operate at 93Vo of capacity this yeaq five points better than the industry's historical average and seven points higher than in 1996, when 3.7 billion ft. of new production capacity was added. Production is expected to decline next year and in 2001 before rising again to a record 39.6 billion ft. in 2003.

An additional 3.4 billion fr. of net industry capacity is predicted to come on line from 2000 to 2003, lowering the production-capacity ratio and increasing pressure to maintain and expand market demand.

Among other engineered wood products, wood I-joist production should rise l1%o to 810 million linear ft., laminated veneer lumber output lTVo to 50 million cu. ft., and glulam production 4Vo to 312 million bd. ft., following a 4Vo decline in 1998.

Over the next five years, glulams will increase by l1Vo, LYL 4lVo, and wood I-joists 677o.

ldaho Home To New Retailer

Jump Creek Lumber Co., a full-line hardware and building products supply serving Southwest ldaho, has been opened by Wayne King and Bud Filler, owners of Filler King, producer of laminated beams, wood roof decking and fi nger-jointed dimension.

Located near Filler King in Homedale, Id.. the business includes a 4,000-sq. ft. TruServ retail store and 5,000-sq. ft. lumber storage building on 2.5 acres.

Filler King's Tim Robb and Kory Bean are co-managing.