Value-Added Products Sell Big From B.C.

A preliminary sales survey from BC Wood Specialties Group's Global Buyers Mission revealed an estimated $12 in sales was generated after 500 international buyers and British Columbian sellers converged in Whistler, B.C., Sept. l5-17 for the value-added event (see photos, Oct., p. s6-s7).

"So far, we have tripled last year's sales. and we are still expecting more sales to be generated by our members," said Bill Dowling, c.e.o. of sponsoring association BC Wood. "The results underscore British Columbia's ability to manufacture

Quolity Weslern

world class value-added wood products as well as commodity lumber."

Products sold at the 2005 Global Buyers Mission included log homes, prefabricated homes, engineered wood products, treated lumber, windows, doors, mouldings, flooring and other wood building products.

The nearly 500 participants included 170 prequalified buyers and 300 value-added wood producers. Buyers came from China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Germany, Italy, U.K., Netherlands, France, Spain, Austria, Switzerland, Mexico, New Zealand and the U.S.

Kiln Fire At Redwood Empire

An early morning fire Oct. 20 caused more than $100,000 damage at Redwood Empire Lumber, Cloverdale, Ca.

When firefighters arrived, they found a 12,000-sq. ft. storage kiln burning. Despite an automatic fire sprinkler system, the fire burned the roofline and interior wall spaces. Firefighting efforts were hampered by the heavy timber construction of the 1950s vintage building, which forced them to cut through 6-ft.-thick wooden walls.

Officials believe the fire was accidental, since the building area was under construction and welding had occurred where the fire started.

Forest Service Ups Harvest

The U.S. Forest Service unveiled its five-year vegetation management plan for the Stanislaus National Forest in California, which will allow 25 million bd. ft. to be cut by 2007, but no one is celebrating yet.

"That's not quite the numbers we were looking for, but it's definitely a step in the right direction," said Steve Sias, power plant operator at Sierra Pacific Industries' sawmill in Standard, Ca., and a member of the local lumber and sawmill workers' union.

Temporary layoffs earlier this year at SPI's two Tuolumne County mills-Standard and Chinese Campwere blamed on the limited amount of timber being cut in the Stanislaus. The Standard mill has since restaffed and is processing burned timber salvaged from the Eldorado National Forest. Workers at the Chinese Camp mill have been laid off for the past three winters.

For the past seven years, an average of 10 million bd. ft. has been cut. This past fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, 14 million bd. ft. were harvested from 6,700 acres. For the current fiscal year,2l million bd. ft. are expected to be cut on some 7,000 acres.

The 27 million bd. ft. slated for 2007 will be cut on another 7.000 acres, followed by 30 million on 13.700 acres in 2008.35 million bd. ft. on 9,000 acres in 2009,38 million bd. ft. on 15,000 acres in 2010, and another 38 million on I1,500 acres in 201l.

"We're very excited about the opportunity to accelerate the pace," said Tom Quinn, supervisor at Stanislaus. "This is going to benefit the local economy."