Plywood Adhesives–Supply and Demand

The production of hardwood and softwood plywood production in the United States is correlated over the last two decades, and the trend in adhesive consumption is shown. The hardwood plywood use of urea-formaldehyde adhesive has become static at 60 million pounds (dry basis) per year. The structural panel (softwood plywood) use of phenol-formaldehyde (PF) adhesive has increased to approximately 500 million pounds annually. A comparison of PF use in the South versus the West is made and the relative comparison of adhesive mix ingredients is given for the United States. The suggestion is made that improved reporting of phenolic-adhesive consumption should be determined. Due to the lack of any technical alternative to the PF adhesive being consumed by the structural plywood industry, an increased research effort and funding by the forest products industries should be emphasized. Suggested alternatives of tannins, lignins, flavonoids from peanut hulls, tree bark extracts, and wood-fiber lignins are briefly referenced.

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