Dwindling resources encourage value.?dded wood products

I\,lEW PRODUCT opportunities are ln Washington State, a year-old Forest Products Program is growing rapidly. Oregon recently passed legislation to assist its producers. Private pursuits in Montana and ldaho are exploring possibilities for similar efforts.

I lpossible for wholesalers and retailers as sevelal western states take a promising look at promoting their secondary wood products indusfties.

Secondary wood products are manufactured from primary wood products. Examples include composite wood products, veneered mouldings, wooden outdoor furniture, specialty products and custom manufactured items.

At least two factors have prompted the emphasis. One is a broadening consumer market for such items as doit-yourself projects and ready-to-assemble furniture. But mor€ important is the rapidly changing western timber resource base. This is prompting state governments to diversify their economies by encouraging more valueadded products. Policymakers note that their efforts are intended to supplement, rather than supplant, western lumber products.

The $90 billion a year d-i-y industry is drawing attention fi'om westem producers wishing to either expand current production or develop new products.

Lumber retailers have aheady seen an influx of products including modulal shelving, stomge systems and paneling as well as wider material and design selections in kitchen and bath cabinets. A host of outdoor products such as deck kits, planters, benches, pattemed fences, playground sets, and treated millwork items including balusters, handrails and even post caps ale available.

Outside of consumer hends, environmental concerns are reviving old favorites. Wood berry baskets and ex-

By Pete Kent Special Projects Manager Wood Products Information Center Portland. Or.

celsior packing materials are again on the rise.

In addition, trim ends and other traditional "hog" material, once viewed as waste, are now being sorted for fingerjoint stock, toy parts, and other components. These so called "wastestream" products could carry through to the retailer. For example, retailers could have custom packages of clear short lengths, which are highly sought after fot small projects, packaged in shrinkwrap.

Retailers also are seeing the rcsults of fingerjointing technologies that have improved to provide almost invisible joints. Fingerjointed pine door jamb and door'/window assemblies provide a clear, smooth paintable surface without incurring the usually higher cost of using all clear lumber materials.

Story at a Glance

How retallers can use secondary wood products to advantage...deck klts, treated mlllwork, modular shelvIng llll d-l-y needs... flnger- jolnt stock can cut prlces I nnovatlve merchandlsIng posslbllltles.

Improved veneered slicing technologies have helped boost such products as oak wrapped mouldings with a fingerjointed pine core. Door stiles and rails may also be a solid core of a less expensive matedal covered with a fine grained veneer. Such combinations provide a natural wood appearance at a reasonable cost.

The product influx includes structural components. For example, westem prcducers of glued laminated tim- bers, or glulams, are providing more standard sizes to satisfy the demands for door and window header stock.

Specialty wholesalers may find increasing domestic and international oppoltunities in supply materials for glulam fabdcatom, or in supplying the glulams themselves.

Wood composites, end and edge glued panels, and face laminated products are increasingly being used for non-structural items, such as fumiture components and finished floor material. One western window producer is using wood composites for the hidden components, rclying on vetical gmin material for the exposed portions. In doing so, he can offer an athactive yet affordable product.

Another trend and area of emphasis is the specialty manufacturer. Even now, retailerc and wholesalers can arrange to have specialty products designed and produced exclusively for their operations. Current examples in the marketplace include designer outdoor furniture, storage modules, ready-to-assemble workbenches, stackable sawhorses and complete packaged deck kits.

Other opportunities may develop to restructurc the industry. For instance, recent Oregon legislation provides incentives for forming manufacturing networks. Such networks, which origi nated in ltaly, could work like this: a hardware supplier, lumber manufacnuer, and gomputer-aided design firm pool their products to deliver a complete retail package such as an in-store computer-designed fence and deck system. Once designed, the take-off sheet is automatically figured, lumber components custom cut, with hardware and fasteners provided to specification.

Retailers and wholesalers can further theil own opportunities by providing insight to manufacturers on consumer trends, current wants and needs.