Forest Products
» Secondary Manufacturing
Secondary Manufacturing
Research and technological innovation are rapidly changing the construction industry and many of the wood products we use in our everyday lives.
In primary manufacturing, the sawmill cuts a log into dimensional lumber and also produces chips and sawdust. However, many of these materials are not immediately destined for the consumer marketplace. Instead, they are shipped to various industrial facilities, to be transformed into an amazing variety of remanufactured products.
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Examples of these secondary wood products are paper and cardboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF), oriented strand board (OSB), veneer flooring and panels, laminated timbers, prefabricated trusses and finger-jointed molding. Many of these are termed "composite" or "engineered" wood products.
Composites have advantages over traditional wood products, both environmentally and in terms of cost. Building materials such as laminated beams and OSB can be efficiently fabricated out of small trees, which are abundant and relatively inexpensive. Paper and some composites can also be made (all or in part) out of post-consumer, recycled wood fibers.
Engineered composites can also blend wood's desirable physical properties with those of other materials such as resins and adhesives. Plywood and OSB, for example, both rely on wood's strength and workability, yet offer builders greater economy and versatility than ever.
Integrating new technology and constantly responding to the needs of the marketplace, primary--and increasingly secondary--wood products will continue to be a staple in our homes, schools and work places.