Features Archive
Archive of features from the global wood industryFeatures By Date
July 2023
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Safe handling training
Global chemicals company Huntsman is a leading provider of non-added formaldehyde, fast-curing resins for the composite wood sector. Huntsman played a significant role in pioneering the use of MDI (methylene diphenyl di-isocyanate) in the composite wood panel industry, introducing MDI into particleboard (PB) products in the 1970s and OSB in the 1980s. WBPI spoke to Erik Vangronsveld, Huntsman’s global materials and industry sustainability director to find out more about MDI, the latest regulatory changes relating to di-isocyanates and the training support on offer to resin users moving forwards
Birch ply alternative
The shortage of birch plywood in Europe due to the Ukraine conflict has opened the door, says plywood manufacturer Garnica, to an alternative product
Combustibility challenge
Dr Daniel Brandon discusses recent advances in fire safety for mass timber buildings
Sunds fibertech aims for next level
At the Ligna exhibition in Germany during May, Sunds Fibertech announced that investor Priveq had bought a majority stake in the firm to help facilitate growth. Several new product innovations were also on display, reports Stephen Powney
Dieffenbacher celebrates milestone at LIGNA
At the Ligna fair this year in Hannover, wood-based panels technology specialist Dieffenbacher celebrated its 150th anniversary and updated the press about its progress and plans for the future. Stephen Powney reports
European panels sector gathers
Representatives from wood-based panels producers from across the world descended on northern Spain for the annual European Panel Federation (EPF) AGM and conference on June 23
Surface design trends
The international Interzum trade fair showcasing the latest in surfacing solutions and components for the furniture and interior design industries attracted 62,000 visitors
Bio-based particleboard launches in France
Bio-based resins producer Evertree has partnered with French panels manufacturer Seripanneaux to launch what they claim is the first 100% Made-in-France bio-based particleboard. Stephen Powney spoke to Maxime Legendre, Evertree’s sales and marketing director
LIGNA returns
The Ligna exhibition returned to Hannover for the first time in four years and the result was a welcome coming together for the international wood-based panel sector. Stephen Powney attended the show
MDF expansion continues
In this the first part of our annual survey of the global MDF producing industry, independent consultant Geoff Rhodes looks at the MDF mills and their capacities in Europe and North America and at the prospects for the industry generally. Significant investment in MDF capacity is continuing, but short-term difficulties are a reality
June 2023
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OSB demand reduces from lofty heights
OSB markets are not as healthy as they were a year ago, due to energy and raw material price inflation, together with weaker economic and construction data in many countries conspiring to dampen demand. Stephen Powney reports
May 2023
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Circular by design
Cellulose and carbon – two highly important components for industry and society to work with and to understand as, globally, we continue to look for ways to mitigate climate change and to protect the planet. Geoff Rhodes reports
OSB market demand slips to pre-pandemic levels
After record prices and profitability in 2020 and 2021, rising mortgage interest rates caused housing construction and OSB demand to fall in the second half of 2022, report WBPI North American correspondents Rich and Dick Baldwin
Sensing what’s happening
Dr Morwenna Spear of the BioComposites Centre looks at the important role of monitoring the heating process in the press to ensure production quality in wood-based panel manufacturing
Hardwood plywood panel press line for states industries
US plywood manufacturer States Industries LLC partnered with Biele in an upgrading and improvement of its production facilities
Four pillars for a better living model
The mammoth CIFF Guangzhou in China really is a huge exhibition for the furniture sector and this year’s edition proved a great success
ESP gives plywood the edge
WBPI talks to Phil McCormack at Nicks Timber in the UK about the development of ESP, an edge sealant for panel products
March 2023
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Emerging species
Dr Morwenna Spear of the BioComposites Centre looks at the issue of using different timber species in industrial timber product manufacturing
Turkish MDF producer set for further growth
Growth and investment plans by Turkish wood-based panels producer Çamsan Ordu have been extremely active in recent years, reports WBPI correspondent Jaroslaw Adamowski
Smartech works smarter
Israel-based wax and resin suspension system innovator and the developer of the Autonomous Manufacturing platform solution SMARTECH has been making strides forward in the wood-based panels industry. Stephen Powney spoke to the company
