APA honors producers for safety strides

f, PA-Tue Enclxerneo Wood lA,Association recently announced the winners of its 2011 Safety and Health Awards, a program that encourages and recognizes safety and operational excellence in the North American structural panel and engineered wood industry.

Nashville, Tn.-based LP and Canfor-LP OSB Limited Partnership, Fort St. John, 8.C., won Safest Company Awards in their respective categories while Roseburg Forest Products Co., Riddle, Or., earned the coveted Innovation in Safety Award.

LP, a leading North American manufacturer of structural wood panels and engineered wood products, earned top honors among comPanies with four or more mills with a 2011 average Weighted Incident Rate (WIR) of 2.35. Canfor-LP, which produces oriented strand board, won its award in the category for companies with three or fewer mills. The company posted a perfect 0.00 WIR for 2011.

One key to the success for LP and the Canfor-LP OSB plant is instilling safety and health as a core company value, rather than just a "priority." "If you treat safety as a core value, it's what's guiding your thoughts, actions and behavior," said Keith Harned, LP's corporate health and safety director. "We call it the LP JourneY to Zero. We believe that nobody has to get hurt; the overriding theme is that no one should get hurt while working at LP. That's something we live and breathe every day."

Roseburg's Riddle engineered wood products mill took the innovation prize for the implementation of the "Glass Walls" program. Every shift in every department has a cell leader who is responsible for monitoring safety, quality, delivery and cost information daily and briefing the rest of the crew through a "Report Out."

Safety is the first item of discussion at every Report Out, and each team member is encouraged to voice all safety concerns. Daily safety topics are also discussed. Along with the addition of mini safety audits, the Glass Wall program has significantly increased safety awareness and communication at the Riddle mill.

Begun in 1982, the APA awards program honors the managements and multiple award winners- employees of companies and mills with the lowest severity-weighted incidence rates based on guidelines established by OSHA. It employs a Weighted Incident Rate that is calculated using both the number and severity of recordable incidents. Since 2008 was the first year that WIR was used, awards and reports for 2009 through 201 1 continue to also show Total Incident Rate (TIR), the measure used in previous years.

In addition to the Safest Company and Innovation awards, other competition categories include SafetY Improvement, Annual SafetY and Health Honor Roll, Three-Year Safety Average, and Incident Free Honor Society. Sixteen mills achieved a zero incident rate for the year and thus were named to the Incident Free Honor Society. The annual honor roll, three-year average and safetY improvement categories are divided into two divisions based on hours worked annually-more than or fewer than 400000 hours.

Sixty-seven APA member structural wood panel and engineered wood product facilities in the U.S., Canada and abroad participated in the 2011 program. A total of 26 mills representing nine APA member companiesAbitibi-LP Engineered Wood, Anthony Forest Products, AnthonY EACov, Calvert Co., Canfor-LP OSB, LP, Norbord, Roseburg Forest Products, and RoyOMartin- earned awards in various categories of the 2011 program. Some of the mills were

While the program awards are limited to APA members, data is collected from both member and non-member mills in order to provide a broadbased industry performance benchmark. A total of 89 mills reported data for 2011. The 2011 industry Total Incident and Weighted Incident Rates were 2.31 and 10.37, respectively, down slightly from 2.44 and I0.94, respectively, in 2010.

The winning facilities and companies will be recognized and their safety accomplishments celebrated during the Chairman's Dinner at APA's annual meeting in November in Amelia Island. Fl.

The 2011 safety awards program was the fourth year under a revitalized safety program effort spearheaded by an APA Safety and Health AdvisorY Committee comprised of several APA member company safety professionals. Under the committee's guidance, three main goals were established: make the APA program the premier safety awards program in the industry, encourage the sharing of best practices as a means to imProve the industry's safety culture and programs, and most importantly, improve the industry's overall safety performance.

Jeld-Wen Acquiring CMI

Jeld-Wen, Klamath Falls, Or., agreed to acquire Craftmaster Manufacturing Inc., Chicago, Il. The deal is expected to close in third quarter 2012.

CMI manufactures CraftMaster molded door facings and doors, MiraTEC exterior composite trim, and Extira exterior composite panels, with its primary production plant in Towanda, Pa.

Anauco To Buy Flakeboard

Santiago, Chile-based Annuco has agreed to purchase panel producer Flakeboard. Markham. Ont.

The deal is set to close in the second half of 2012.

Flakeboard operates seven production facilities in the U.S. and Canada, producing MDF, particleboard and thermally fused melamine panels. Locations include Bennettsville. S.C.: Malvern, Ar., and Albany and Eugene, Or.

In January, Aneuco also acquired an MDF and particleboard facility located in Moncure, N.C., which will be combined with Flakeboard's existing mills and operate under the Flakeboard name. Kelly Shotbolt, president and c.e.o. of Flakeboard, and his senior management team will combine and lead this company.

Washington Yard Hit by Multiple Robberies

Discount Lumber, Spokane, Wa., has been burglarized eight or nine times over the past year, with damages and losses totaling almost $50,000.

However, the latest break-in, on May 29, was different: the robber's face and his getaway van are clearly visible on surveillance footage.

"The guy is obviously one of the stupidest people on earth," said vice president Mark Gatlin. "This guy is so stupid, he hits the camera and the camera goes straight down and looks right at his face."

Undeterred, the thief then took 15 minutes to load 2x4 studs into his van, parked next to a busy street. After a short break, he continued loading his van with more stolen lumber.

"He's actually counting the 2x4s in his van," said Gatlin. "You know, like it really matters. I mean, you're robbing a place, why don't you just throw them in?"

Finally, the thief ripped a "no smoking" sign off a stack of lumber and used it to cover up his license plate. In total, the thief took 80 2x4s, a wheelbarrow, and a chop saw. He also destroyed six surveillance cameras and a 2}-ft. gate, bringing total damages and losses to around $10,000.

Montana Company Wins Arizona Timber Contract

Pioneer Associates, Billings, Mt., won a contract to restore 300,000 acres of northern Arizona forests to health-called the largest thinning project in U.S. history.

Under the contract, Pioneer will pay the U.S. Forest Service $6.6 mil- lion over l0 years for the right to log the forests. The wood will feed a wood products mill that the company plans to open by the fall of 2013 in Winslow, Az. The bulk of each tree will be used to make laminate wood, while the limbs and twigs would make electricity, biodiesel, and heat for a wood-drying kiln.

"The only way you can take this small wood and turn it into something valuable is through this process," said Michael Cooley, a sawmill operator speaking on behalf of Pioneer Associates and its Arizona subsidiary, Pioneer Forest Products.

Quolity Weslern Cedor Products

Manuel Lavrador, ex-J.E. Higgins, has been named lumber purchasing mgr. for Aura Hardwoods, Rancho Cordova. Ca.

Nathan Orchard, ex-Boise Cascade Distribution. is now a territory mgr. at J.M. Thomas Forest Products. Boise, Id. Cindy Feist was promoted to lumber & panel mgr. in Denver, Co.

Todd Schoffstoll, ex-Pacific States Treating, has joined Viance, Charlotte, N.C., as West Coast treating services mgr., based in Weed, Ca. Tim Schrader, exLowe's, is now director of sales & marketing; Dr. Kevin Archer, director of development; Dr. Lehong Jin, director of research, and Steve Furr, director of engineering & technical services.

Jean Fahy has joined Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In., as regional sales & business development mgr. for the western U.S.

Jerry Gibson, ex-Spenard Builders Supply, is new to sales at Olympic Wholesale Building Supply, Olympia, Wa.

Mark Jackson, ex-BMC West, has joined the trading staff at Idaho Pacific Lumber, Vancouver, Wa.

Ned Olsen. ex-Western International Forest Products, has joined thc trading staff at Talon Forest, AFAUSA. Portland. Or.

Brian Hendsbee is new to lumber sales at Home Depot, Littleton, Co.

Doug Smith, ex-Pacific Coast Building Products, has joined the sales team at Mill Outlet Lumber. Tacoma. Wa.

Cary Farrah is now a marketing & sales analyst for Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa.

Mark Granger has been named senior research mgr. for Johns Manville, Denver, Co.

Donald Kelly is a new designer at BMC West, Las Vegas, Nv.

Emily Bonilla, ex-Boise Cascade, is now area sales mgr. for the Rocky Mountain region at Boral Stone Products.

Doyle Simons, ex-Temple-Inland, has been named to the board of Weyerhaeuser Co., Federal Way, Wa.

Rick Harris was promoted to general mgr.-export sales & marketing at Interfor, Burnaby, B.C. Shane Harsch, ex-Terminal Forest Products, is now sales mgr.-cedarNorth America.

Brad Southern has been promoted to senior v.p. & gen. mgr.-siding at Louisiana-Pacific, Nashville, Tn. Brian Luoma was promoted to senior v.p. & gen. mgr.-engineered wood products.

Bob Merritt has been named c.e.o. of Benjamin Moore, Montvale, N.J., replacing Denis Abrams, who has left the company after five years.

Kenny Collins has been promoted to sales director-residential division for Nichiha USA, Atlanta, Ga.

Dana Lee Cole, ex-National Association of Manufacturers, has been named executive director of the Hardwood Federation, Washington, D.C., succeeding Deb Hawkinson, now president of the Forest Resources Association.

Walter Melon is organizing the annual summer picnic for MungusFungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

Progressive Solutions Okays Buyout by Solarsoft

Solarsoft Busincss S1'stcnrs has agrccd to acquire Progrcssivc Solutions hrc.. Vancouvcr. B.('.

Founcled in 1989 by c.c.o. Lcn Williarns. PSI provicies bisTrack. lumbcrTlack. and other softwalc to saw'mills, luniberyurcls. and supplicrs of construction nratcrials in North Amcricu and thc LJ.K.

"We believc that thc conrbination u'ith Solarsoft u ill pr.ovide fresh rnonicntuln to thc ongoine clcvelopmcnt o1' PSl's pmrlucts ancl serr iccs 1br thc bcncf'it of custorrers. suplrlicls and cmploy'ces." Williarns saicl. Solarsoft c.c.o. Shawn McMorran addcd. "This accluisition u ill udd significant strcngth to oLlr o1'1'cling frlr clistribution and u,holcsalc custorrcrs. PSI's custonrers riill bcnefit too fronr bcirtg suPPtlltcd hr lr llrrgct ,rl!1111i7;1tion u'ith intcrnational opelations."

Solarsoit was lirr-nrecl in 2007 1olIowing the nrcrger of CMS Sclftriarc, Toronto. Ont., ancl U.K.-basccl XKo Soliwarc Ltd.

Gapital Lumber's DCs in Chino, Ca; Woodburn, Or., and Tacoma, Wa., are now distributing Boral TruExterior Trim in California Oregon and Washington.

Building Material Distributors Inc., Riverside, Ca., is now distributing Simpson Strong-Tie products in Southern California. Galt, Ca.-based BMD has been distributing SST products in Northern California since 1 952.

Weyerhaeuser now distributes reclaimed wood from Barnwood Industries Bend Or., in northern California and anticipates expanding to other markets soon,

Hiquera Hardwoods, Poulsbo Wa h-as enlisted Public Lumber Co.. Detroit. Mt.. to distribute its FSCcertified bamboo products in Michigan

Nichiha USA has consolidated all of its shake nrnducts into the Nichiha Shake Collection.

Matthews Marking Products redesigned its website, www.matthewsmarking,com. with new branding and qurcker, easier navigation.

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