Dateline APA

APA Selected to Lead Moisture Management Network
APA was recently selected to lead a newly formed network of public agencies and private sector organizations to coordinate activities designed to address the problem of residential building moisture intrusion.

Called the Residential Moisture Management Network (RMMN), the alliance includes the Department of Housing and Urban Development, USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Energy, American Institute of Architects, Energy and Environmental Building Association, National Council of the Housing Industry, Institute of Business and Home Safety, and North American Insulation Manufacturers Association, among a growing list of others.

The purpose of the network is to coordinate the participating organizations’ moisture-related research, communications and education program activities. APA’s own program to address the issue, called Build A Better Home (www.buildabetterhome.org), was established in 2000. The network is operating under a federal grant administered by the Forest Products Laboratory.

Board Reviews Vision, Mission and Strategic Priorities
Product performance, market demand, consistency of industrywide grading enforcement, engineered wood imports, operational efficiencies, and public perception of the environmental merits of engineered wood have been identified as the leading strategic issues of the Association by the APA Board of Trustees.

The Board review of APA activities, typically conducted every five years, was given added impetus in recent months by the economic downturn, industry consolidation, globalization, marketplace challenges and other developments.

The Board modified the Association’s vision statement slightly to reflect the consensus that membership of offshore mills should be restricted to those owned by U.S. and Canadian-based members. The mission statement also was revised to give specific new recognition of educational support as an essential element of the APA mandate.

More complete information on the review is contained in APA’s 2002 Annual Report, which can be found in the members-only section of the APA Web site at www.apawood.org.

Annual Production and Market Outlook Nearing Completion
APA’s annual market forecast–Regional Production and Market Outlook for Structural Panels and Engineered Wood Products, 2003-2008 (E69)–is nearing completion and will be available in April.

The comprehensive report contains economic forecast assumptions, market segment demand data and analysis, historical production and capacity figures by product category, regional production statistics, export and import data, and other information.

The report is distributed free to APA members and is available for $175 per copy to non-members. To order, contact the APA Publications Department at 253-620-7407 or log onto the APA Web site at www.apawood.org.

2002 Structural Panel Production Set Record
U.S. and Canadian production of structural wood panels totaled a record-setting 40.34 billion square feet (3/8-inch basis) in 2002, up 3.5 percent from 2001, according to APA’s year-end production tally. The old record of 40.33 billion feet was set in 2000.

Oriented strand board production increased 1.17 billion feet to 22.7 billion. Plywood production also rose by 230 million feet to 17.6 billion.

Among other engineered wood products, wood I-joist production rose six percent to 981 million linear feet and laminated veneer lumber output increased five percent to 62 million cubic feet. Glulam production fell six percent to 338 million board feet, reflecting the weak nonresidential construction market.

New Market Research Reports Available on Web Site
Several recently completed market research reports are now available to members via the APA Web site. Among them are:

• Wood Used In Industrial Markets, commissioned by the Wood Products Council with financial support from APA, Canadian Wood Council, Forintek Canada Corporation, Southern Forest Products Association and Western Wood Products Association.

• Survey of Sustainable/Green Building Programs, produced for APA and the Canadian Wood Council by the Center for International Trade in Forest Products (CINTRAFOR) at the University of Washington.

• Attributes Demanded in Single-Family Walls: A Builder Survey, produced by Forintek Canada Corporation with assistance from APA.

• Prefabricated Wall Report: A Fabricator Survey, also published by Forintek Canada with APA assistance.

The reports are located in the members-only section of the APA Web site, www.apawood.org.

Annual Meeting Slated for San Diego, Again
Plans are proceeding for APA’s 66^th annual meeting scheduled for Sept. 13-16 at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in San Diego.

APA’s 2001 annual meeting was to have been held at the same location, but was cancelled shortly after the events of Sept. 11 of that year. The meeting will include a full schedule of business sessions and recreational activities, as well as the Info Fair supplier exhibition.

Loews Coronado Bay Resort is located on San Diego Bay and is just one block from the Pacific Ocean. More information about the resort and meeting will be sent soon to all Association members and posted on the APA Web site.