DHA eNews - DHA Successfully Challenges Laminate Marketed As "Wood"
For more details, please see this week's eNews.
If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.
Keith A. Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association
Congress has written important language into spending bills that would classify biomass as carbon neutral across federal agencies. We are optimistic that the biomass provision will become law—a win for our industry.
More than 1,300 companies, industry associations, and chambers of commerce have signed a letter written by the National Association of Manufacturers that asks Congress to restore three pro-growth tax policies: immediate expensing of research and development, allowing businesses to deduct more of their interest payments on loans, and accelerated depreciation.
AHF Products has purchased the assets of Crossville, a highly regarded brand of commercial and residential tile products. This acquisition—AHF Products' fifth acquisition in less than five years—will move the company into a leadership position in the fast-growing tile market.
Roseburg Forest Products named Eric Geyer as its vice president of corporate strategy and external affairs. Geyer joined Roseburg as a forester in 1999 and has negotiated several important land deals for the company.
The manufacturing sector contracted in October for the twelfth consecutive month after a 28-month period of growth. Only two of fifteen industries reported growth last month; wood products, furniture, and paper declined.
There is a shortage of birch plywood in Europe, partly due to the war in Ukraine. Spanish plywood manufacturer Garnica is offering poplar as a substitute. The company has five mills that are producing poplar plywood, including two in France.
A new Canadian law, passed by a unanimous vote, will put wood at the beginning of building design and procurement decisions. This will help the country achieve climate resiliency and a lower carbon footprint while expanding the use of a renewable product.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers now requires that mass timber options be considered at the design phase of all vertical construction projects. The goal is to advance the use of high-performance, sustainable building products and use more construction materials with low embodied carbon.
Agricultural weed killers are putting trees at risk. Trees, including 200-year-old oaks, are dying across Missouri and Illinois. State foresters investigated and found widespread evidence of chemicals in the leaves.
Land managers across the globe are using drones to plant seeds in areas devastated by wildfires and floods. Drone technology does not replace traditional reforestation methods. Instead, it enables reforestation in mountainous and other hard-to-access terrain.
Public and private spending on infrastructure—including infrastructure to service electric cars—is driving demand for more tall trees to use for utility poles. North American demand has exceeded capacity as the tall trees need to be harvested, peeled, dried, and pressure treated.
Researchers say that a large carved piece of wood found in England is likely more than 6,000 years old. It may be a key to unlocking some of the mystery of Stonehenge, as Mesolithic people are believed to have carved the wood 2,000 years before Stonehenge.
Which state chose birch as their official state tree?