PORTLAND, Ore. - Timber construction is opening a new market that has been keeping lumber and milling machinery busy at a growing number of wood products companies, including Montreal's Nordic Structures, Sauter Timber in Rockwood, Tennessee, SmartLam, in Columbia Falls, Montana, and D.R. Johnson, in Portland, Oregon.
Oregon-based D.R. Johnson Wood Innovations, a subsidiary of D.R. Johnson, specializes in the manufacture of cross-laminated timber, or CLT, and glue-laminated beams from Douglas fir and Alaskan yellow cedar. D.R. Johnson Wood was the first U.S. company to receive APA/ANSI certification to manufacture structural CLT panels - and CEO Valerie Johnson plans to help grow the U.S. market.
D.R. Johnson has received the first U.S. certification to manufacture cross-laminated timbers (CLT) under a new standard approved last year by the American National Standards Institute. D.R. Johnson is one of only three North American companies certified by the Engineered Wood Association to construct CLT for use in buildings.
Johnson's company employs 125 at a traditional sawmill and laminating plant, which was recently expanded by 13,000 square feet for increased CLT production. They're currently fielding calls from hopeful builders, and manufacturing samples to be tested for fire safety and structural quality. One recent new wood construction project is a 14-story wooden apartment tower being built in Portland, Oregon.
Johnson says the system for constructing CLT involves assembling prefabricated parts, speeding construction, and paring labor costs. The company partnered with wood processor manufacturer USNR to build a custom panel press for CLT. She will be talking about the subject of wood building construction - which affects interior build out, as well as wood supply chain - at the Woodworking network Leadership Forum on July 18, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Johnson will be joined by Iain MacDonald, the associate director of the newly-established TallWood Design Institute, created by Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. Macdonald managed the Center for Advanced Wood Processing at the University of British Columbia. UBC is deeply involved in tall wood building research and development.
The complete program Woodworking Network Leadership Forum includes a series of briefings that will detail joint technology developments between suppliers and manufacturers in creating new materials and equipment, and trends that will drive the wood manufacturing industry for years to come. The event is followed by the Leadership Reception, at which the 2017 Wood Industry 40 Under 40 Awards will be presented. The event runs Tuesday, July 18, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Pricing: $299 early bird before June 30; $350 afterward.
Manufacturing FutureHAUS
Joe Wheeler, Professor of Architecture + Design at Virginia Tech University shows a revolutionary prototype for the home of the future, with designs that lend themselves to modular cabinetry and furniture manufacture. Over the past four years, prototypes for the kitchen, bath, living room, bedrooms and home offices have been developed and shown at KBIS, with 25 industry partners, including Sherwin Williams and California Closets, providing design expertise.
Wood Skyscrapers: CLT & High-rise Buildings
DR Johnson Lumber CEO Valerie Johnson and Oregon State and University of Oregon's TallWood Design Institute new manager Iain MacDonald detail the exciting developments in wood materials supporting a supply chain for timber towers. Eighteen-story buildings and massive condos, hotels, and schools have already been built in North America, including a 50,000 square foot warehouse nearing completion.
Growth and insight from Manufacturing Data
Initiatives to mine manufacturing data are providing insight into production issues, far more analytically than casual observation. This data, increasingly gleaned from the Industrial Internet of Things, provides a basis for business strategy and sales growth, and supports initiatives such as Industry 4.0. Wood industry data expert Mick Peters and author of Love Thy Data presents an overview.
Joint Technology Development In Action
Going beta with suppliers, these wood manufacturing managers will relate first-hand the development of new technology for their operations.
• Decore-ative Specialties VP Todd Shapiro and Bacci America’s Joe Barry recount the two-year joint development of a custom CNC cabinet door sanding system, versions of which are now on the market.
• Timberline Cabinetry & Millwork’s Kent Swinson and software expert Roger Shaw recount tailoring Production Coach enterprise software following a plant audit.
• North American Plywood GM Donald Kuser details joint-development with Fuji on its Inca Onset high-speed digital staining, that turns 5x10’ plywood sheets to a high-def oak veneer look in 90 seconds.
• RCS Millwork’s Dan Keller and millwork firm Wilkie Sanderson president Marc Sanderson, will talk about the development of a plant-wide management system with Innergy to integrate machinery and processes.
Trending Materials
Among the most popular subjects at Woodworking Network are new developments in materials. In addition to digital staining and cross laminated timber and panel, hear about:
• One-off Digitally Printed Laminates - Stephanie Richardson, Design Manager, Schattdecor, will explain the technology and applications behind global decorative surfaces leader Schattdecor's move into its emerging digitally printed surfaces. Schattdecor operates its major U.S. production facility near St. Louis.
• Flame Finished Wood – Andy Hehl, head of Kebony USA and Delta Millworks have developed a new line of stylish wood that is finished using the trending Japanese Shou Sugi Ban technique.
Changing Workforce: 40 Under 40s Take Charge
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| Sponsor 40 Under 40 Class of 2017 |
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This prequel to the evening Wood Industry 40 Under 40 Awards program (sponsored this year by Stiles) will poll some of the industry’s best and brightest rising talent. You'll learn how differently they think, and pain points they encounter as they try to change their organizations, and their industry.
Register and save at the Early Bird rate of $299 until June 30 ($350 after) at www.awfsfair.org>>
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