recently joined the staff of the NWPCA in the role of
developing, strengthening and seeking out partnerships
that will be of benefit to the wooden pallet industry.
Those partnerships will include the suppliers of
machinery/services and the raw materials that are
necessary to meet the growing needs of the expanded
demand for pallets. The partnership between hardwood
lumber producers and wooden pallet manufacturers is
crucial to both industries and of special significance to me due to
my 40 years of hardwood lumber experience. With 40.5% of total
hardwood production consumed by pallets, this relationship looks
strong for the immediate future, and because of the forest
resource, it will remain vital well beyond that.
The grade and quality of lumber produced from a particular
log is determined by mother nature, but the choice of the log
utilized in the sawmill is based primarily on the markets. The
market for veneer logs and worldwide demand has limited the
size and quality of logs entering the sawmill, and sawmills are
producing a higher percentage of industrial grade lumber.
Hardwood Insights
Pallet Industry Partnership Solid
Due to the Forest Resource
By Mark Barford, CAE
MARKETS
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34 PalletCentral • September-October 2016 palletcentral.com
