New Ways in Wood Products

Observations made during visits to solid-wood products plants in the United States are summarized. New machine design and advanced managerial expertise are making substantial inroads on labor-intensiveness, especially in construction plywood, sawmilling and particleboard. Keeping lumber quality up in the face of decreasing log quality is necessary if lumber is to hold its own. Chippable residues from sawmilling are an important resource for pulping, while shavings and ply-trim scarcities should soon lead to more use of bark and roundwood in particleboard. Company mergers and growth have led to integration of manufacturing units; given the will, these companies can support substantial research and development, but they do not make adequate use of research expertise available at the forestry schools.

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