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March 9, 2007

‘06 Treated Production Summary

According to ALSC-accredited grading agencies, treated Southern Pine shipments during 2006 reached an estimated 6.608 billion board feet, a drop of 6% from the 2005 level of 7.020 billion board feet. "New housing starts began to soften in 2006 as interest rates edged up, a key factor affecting the decreased shipments," comments Richard Kleiner, SFPA director of treated markets. "Nevertheless, the numbers reflect a continued healthy demand for treated lumber. In 2004, well over the 5.8 billion board feet was shipped," he adds.

Register for EXPO and Midyear Meeting

In addition to the exhibits, EXPO 2007 offers many educational opportunities. A comprehensive Conference Program, coordinated by Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc., includes 18 sessions covering industry trends and forecasts, mill operations pertaining to lumber, panel and engineered wood products, as well as leadership and management skills. "This conference program is designed to complement the displays of machinery and equipment, offering practical information that can have a direct impact on attendees’ operations," comments exposition director Eric Gee.

In addition, the Engineered Wood Technology Association (EWTA) will hold a separate session in conjunction with EXPO 2007, titled "The 3 R’s of Employment Continuity". This four-hour conference on Thursday, June 21, will cover how to recruit, retain and replace employees now and in the future. Attendance at the EWTA conference is by a separate registration fee of $99.

EXPO 2007 is set for June 21-23 (Thursday through Saturday) at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. Register online for both the conferences and EXPO 2007 at www.sfpaexpo.com. The 8-page EXPO Visitor’s Guide contains complete details of the entire conference program, plus registration costs and an advance registration form. A free copy is available upon request, or the PDF can be downloaded from the site, as well.

Ahead of EXPO, the SFPA Midyear Meeting will be held, June 19-20 at the adjacent Omni Hotel at CNN Center. A PDF copy of the meeting registration form and the agenda is available online at www.sfpa.org/meetings. SFPA members can follow the links and also register to attend EXPO 2007. May 31 is the hotel cutoff date for SFPA’s block of rooms at the Omni Hotel. For more information regarding the Midyear Meeting, please contact Dianne Breaux, dbreaux@sfpa.org, or call 504/443-4464 ext 225.

DeckExpo Crowd

Impressed with SP

DeckExpo 2007 in Las Vegas last week attracted a near-record crowd from all segments of the industry. Steve Bean, SFPA's marketing vice president, Wendy Burnett, SLMA's communications and public relations manager, and Kim Drew, SPC's public relations consultant, greeted steady traffic to the Southern Pine Council exhibit. The most common question, "Where can we buy Southern Pine?", was also the easiest to answer. "The Product Locator, and especially the Dealer Locator, at www.southernpine.com are ideal solutions. The user decides where they want to purchase Southern Pine lumber," Steve commented. He also served on a panel discussion, fielding questions about new treatments and corrosivity, as well as timber supply and perceived threats from composite and plastic decking.

Several visitors complained about the quality of treated western species, noting the twisting and checking of lumber from primarily second-growth timber, the incising required to achieve adequate penetration, and the overall appearance of treated western species. Their interest grew immediately when they learned that no incising is required with Southern Pine. "We certainly saw a lot of evidence suggesting that builders want something better than western species."

For the second year, SPC sponsored the Press Room. "It's paramount that SPC keeps our wood voice loud and strong. With our sponsorship, we guarantee media attention, plus it offers an ideal location for in-depth conversations with editors," Kim noted. "We walked away with a solid list of article and product placement opportunities."

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