Working to get a seat at the CLT Table

Currently, the annual production of cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels in the U.S. is about 35,000 m3. But within the next 10 years, it is expected that production will be close to 2 million m3 per year. At present, hardwood lumber is not included in the North American CLT standard, APA-PRG 320. Here’s what’s being done to potentially change that.

• Virginia Tech (VT), in collaboration with the Hardwood Manufacturers Association (HMA), Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers Association (AHMI), and National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA), is conducting a research project to measure the possibility of using low-value hardwood lumber in cross-laminated timber as a primary raw material.
• In August, all HMA members were sent a Member Communique requesting participation in a short survey measuring not only the willingness of the hardwood industry to pursue this market, but also the current level of sawmill readiness to produce structural grade hardwood lumber.
• If you have yet to respond to the survey, please do so here.

Questions regarding the survey and the research project - “Study of Markets for Hardwood Lumber Products to Promote Low-Value Lumber as CLT Raw Materials” - may be directed to the VT Research Investigators, Sailesh Adhikari, sailesh@vt.edu or 217.819.1304, and Henry Quesada, Ph.D., Quesada@vt.edu or 540.231.0978.