Features Archive

Archive of features from the global wood industry

Features By Date

September 2023

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A leaner and keener future
29 September 2023 CMC Texpan of Colzate, Italy, has been at the forefront of wood preparation technology for the global panel industry for over 60 years. Mike Botting spoke to its managing director about the company’s products; and its future plans

Understanding resin chemistry
29 September 2023 Carlo Kupfernagel, a PhD student at the BioComposites Centre at Bangor University in Wales, explains why it can be useful to have an understanding of resin chemistry

WMF attended by major players
29 September 2023 It was once again time for major technology suppliers to present their brands and solutions to the Chinese market at WMF in Shanghai, co-located with the massive CIFF

India Investment Focus
29 September 2023 Indian panels market to be major investment focus in years to come, reports WBPI contributor Eugene Gerden

Lithuania’s first LVL plant opens
29 September 2023 VMG Lignum as a part of VMG Group incorporates a wide range of wood product operations in Lithuania and now it has added LVL and I-joist production to its capabilities, reports Stephen Powney

Global MDF Capacity Increases
29 September 2023 In the second part of our annual survey of the industry worldwide and for the countries outside Europe and North America, independent industry consultant Geoff Rhodes looks at new developments and summarises the current and future global position for MDF in the ‘rest of the world’. The current dynamics, issues and realities of 2022 and 2023 are also considered

Turboden targets panels sector
29 September 2023 Energy is an important topic among wood-based panels producers due to their massive use of energy in the manufacturing process and the need to be more efficient. Stephen Powney speaks to Alessandro Guercio, biomass sales and business development manager of Turboden

July 2023

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Safe handling training
31 July 2023 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
27 July 2023 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
27 July 2023 Dr Daniel Brandon discusses recent advances in fire safety for mass timber buildings

Sunds fibertech aims for next level
27 July 2023 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
26 July 2023 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
26 July 2023 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

Bio-based particleboard launches in France
25 July 2023 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

Surface design trends
25 July 2023 The international Interzum trade fair showcasing the latest in surfacing solutions and components for the furniture and interior design industries attracted 62,000 visitors

LIGNA returns
24 July 2023 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
24 July 2023 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
28 June 2023 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
29 May 2023 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
29 May 2023 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