A market assessment of the potential for OSB products in the North American office furniture and door manufacturing industries

In late 2000, a fax survey was sent to 1,867 manufacturers of wood office furniture and doors in an attempt to gauge the market potential for oriented strandboard (OSB) products in these two key industrial segments. It is hoped that this research will form the basis of marketing strategies aimed at increasing OSB use in various industrial market segments. In general, while both markets appear to be attractive for panel producers, OSB manufacturers would likely stand a better chance of market acceptance in the office furniture sector, perhaps positioning themselves as a lower-end product. This study also provides OSB manufacturers with recommendations for improving their product?s market position within these highly competitive marketplaces. This may prove challenging since the degree of familiarity, acceptance, and use of OSB products among both office furniture and door manufacturers is low compared to other types of wood products. Most respondents claim that OSB products will require many technical improvements in order to successfully penetrate the industrial marketplace. That said, the most effective means of disseminating product information to industrial manufacturers about a product like OSB is through direct and personal communication tactics.

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