Louisiana-Pacific (LP) has met four potential UK wholesale distributors to represent its SolidStart engineered wood products.

The move comes as LP accelerates its plans to also enter the Australian and Japanese markets as part of a concerted campaign to grow market share and capitalise on Weyerhaeuser’s retreat from the international engineered timber market.

Appointing a wholesale distribution partner for the UK and Ireland is the second step for LP’s market entry.

The first step – code approvals – has been completed, while the third step, working with the retail sector, will follow. A new website www.Ipcorp.com/UK has just gone live.

“We have invested a lot during a down market, which shows the commitment of LP to expand internationally,said Al Huber, LP’s international sales manager of engineered wood products.