The Softwood Forest Products Buyer - March/April 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS
Moulds Named VP Of Business
Development
BPWood Ltd. of British Columbia, Canada, recently
announced the appointment of Bill Moulds to the new
role of Vice President of Business Development.
Moulds has centered on startups and the refinement
of complex offshore wood supply chains. He also
played a pivotal roll in the early growth at BPWood.
Moulds created South Fraser Container Services
(SFCS), which became the foremost container loader
in the Port of Vancouver serving North American
Bill Moulds
Export wholesalers and mill shippers.
SFCS was acquired in 2012 by the Tokyo Lumber
Terminal organization.
Moulds’ depth and wise eye will support BPWood’s trader group with analytics
and insights, according to a company statement. He will concentrate on increasing
growth and maintaining the brand of The Nimble Innovators. The group now
has 25 dedicated BPWoodies and will celebrate 25 years, next year.
From the first cut of log to its final use case, BPWood delivers sustainable supply
chains on the periphery of “pure commodity” wood markets.
BPWood creates, drives, and supports specialty wood businesses, working with
seasoned North American and carefully nurtured strategic manufacturers, globally.
To learn more, visit www.bpwood.com.
J.D. Irving Purchases Biomass Boiler
J.D. Irving Grand Lake Timber’s Chipman Sawmill in New Brunswick, Canada,
is celebrating the commission of a new biomass boiler that will significantly
reduce fossil fuel consumption and contribute to a sustainable future.
The project marks a step toward an eco-friendlier lumber drying process and
will allow the mill to substantially reduce its carbon footprint.
The boiler generates two megawatts of energy, or enough to power around 500
homes, through a cutting-edge turbine. The 1.47 kilowatts turbine is a central feature
of the project, and it will provide more than enough power to meet the energy
demands of the mill.
More than $36 million was invested in the project, which promises to revolutionize
the way energy is sourced and utilized at the mill. The new boiler will be
particularly important during winter months as it will eliminate the need to burn
extra fuel to produce enough steam for wood processing.
For more information, go to www.jdirving.com.
Burns Honored As Lumberman Of The
Year
Pat Burns, the former president of Patrick Lumber
Co. in Portland, OR, was recently honored with the
prestigious 2023 Lumberperson of the Year Award by
the Portland Wholesale Lumber Association (PWLA),
at a recent meeting.
The accolade recognized Burns’ “exceptional
leadership, unwavering dedication, and remarkable
contributions to the Northwest Lumber industry.”
Pat Burns Gunnar Brinck, chairman of the Lumberperson of
the Year Committee, outlined the criteria behind the
recognition by noting that it requires a “commitment to the industry, community
contributions, and outstanding character and leadership traits.”
“Pat's lifelong commitment to honesty, integrity and service to others aligns
seamlessly with these benchmarks,” he added.
Burns’ career journey began in 1983 after graduating from the University of
Washington. His work ethic and commitment to building relationships led him to
carve a niche in the industry.
As part of a team that acquired Patrick Lumber Company in the late '90s, his
integrity and core values transformed the business into a “model of success while
maintaining adaptability in a changing industry landscape.”
Beyond his professional achievements, Burns’ dedication to mentoring and
coaching youth in sports demonstrates his commitment to personal growth and
community service.
Brinck commended Burns’ care for others, citing numerous instances where
he went above and beyond to assist colleagues and even strangers without being
asked, illustrating his commitment to selflessness, and doing what's right.
The presentation marked a celebration of Burns' outstanding achievements, recognizing
his role as a luminary in the industry and a true asset to the community.
His name will be immortalized on the larger recognition board, permanently
displayed at the World Forestry Center, marking his place among a distinguished
group of industry leaders.
Learn more at www.patlbr.com or call 503-222- 9671.
Boise Cascade Announces Retirement Of Tom Hoffmann
And A New Door Shop Facility
Boise Cascade, headquartered in Boise, ID, announced
the retirement of Tom Hoffmann, Senior Vice
President of Purchasing, Building Materials Distribution
(BMD) division, effective March 1, 2024.
Hoffmann joined Boise Cascade in 1981. He served
in many key roles and leadership positions over the
years, including Division Operations Manager, Pacific
Region Manager and Denver Branch Manager. Hoffmann
holds a bachelor’s degree in business with a dual
major in management and marketing from the University
of Idaho. He was promoted to vice president in
Tom Hoffmann 2016 and senior vice president in 2021. He currently
oversees the procurement, safety and transportation
functions for the BMD division.
“We have been intentional in planning for this transition considering the experience
and numerous areas Tom has managed over the years. We are reorganizing
the functional responsibilities to provide our emerging leaders with the opportunity
for growth and professional development,” said Jeff Strom, executive vice
president. “I am personally so grateful for Tom’s leadership, dedication, and many
contributions to BMD and our entire industry.”
“I want to thank Tom for 43 years of extraordinary service! His unwavering
focus on living our values and taking care of our customers, suppliers, and fellow
associates will leave a lasting imprint on so many people,” said Nate Jorgensen,
CEO. “We wish him the very best in the next chapter of his journey.”
In other news, Boise Cascade announced the addition of a door shop in Commerce
City, CO, a suburb of Denver. The 127,000 square foot millwork facility
was recently completed and has begun production.
“We are excited that this new facility will allow us to expand our offering of
pre-hung doors and other millwork products in one of the country’s fastest growing
markets,” said Bud Skinner, millwork business development manager.
“Our new state-of-the-art facility in the Denver market will complement our
full-line distribution business,” said Jerry Bandel, Denver branch manager. “We
look forward to providing high service levels and will work to integrate and leverage
our sales team’s abilities as we ramp up the millwork production capabilities.”
Boise Cascade Company is one of the largest producers of engineered wood
products and plywood in North America and a leading U.S. wholesale distributor
of building products. For more information, please visit www.bc.com.
Specialty Building Products And TOOLBX Partner To
Drive eCommerce Growth For LBM Dealers
Specialty Building Products (SBP) of Duluth, GA, a distributor of specialty
building products in North America, and TOOLBX, the leading eCommerce platform
for independent lumber and building supply dealers, announced a strategic
collaboration to help SBP’s customers capture the growing opportunity in eCommerce.
The partnership will provide SBP’s extensive network of dealers with access to
TOOLBX’s comprehensive digital LBM platform, empowering them to enhance
their online presence, streamline operations, and better service their customers,
according to a company statement.
Through this collaboration, SBP dealers will gain:
Seamless product data: Synchronized product information ensures accurate and
up-to-date online product listings, leading to improved customer experience and
sales efficiency.
Enhanced customer engagement: TOOLBX equips dealers with online ordering,
customer messaging, quote tools, and a customer portal for account management
and payments, building trust and convenience for contractors and homeowners
alike.
Streamlined business operations: TOOLBX’s platform integrates with existing
ERP systems, automating complex pricing rules like individual Pro discounts,
while simplifying inventory management and order processing.
“We care about our dealer customers’ success. And with e-commerce penetration
at less than 1 percent amongst the average LBM dealers, we took it upon
ourselves to bring a best-in-class solution to our customers,” said Jeff McLendon,
president and CEO of SBP. “A number of our customers are already using TOOL-
BX and we want to make our product data available to them through TOOLBX.”
“TOOLBX goes beyond the e-commerce checkbox. Dealers need a comprehensive
digital solution that truly transforms their business. We provide that with a
suite of customer-facing tools that enable them to streamline operations, enhance
customer service, and boost loyalty among their Pro or retail segment,” said Erik
Bornstein, CEO and cofounder of TOOLBX. “We’re thrilled to partner with a
leader like SBP and empower their customers with the resources they need to
thrive online.”
Those who are customers of SBP and any of its family of brands, such as U.S.
Lumber, Alexandria Moulding, DW Distribution, Millwork Sales, Reeb or Amerhart,
can contact SBP representatives for more information or email toolbx@sbp.
com.
For more information, visit www.sbp.com.
Koppers Names James A. Sullivan
President and Chief Operating Officer
Koppers Holdings Inc. announced the election of
James A. Sullivan as President and Chief Operating
Officer, effective January 1, 2024. Sullivan has been
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
since January 2020. Leroy M. Ball will continue to
serve as Chief Executive Officer of Koppers.
As president, Sullivan will have a bigger role in
the development of Koppers 2030 strategy, which is
James Sullivan expected to build upon the company’s 2025 Expand
and Optimize strategy that has consistently produced
improved safety performance, steady progress in sustainability, and record financial
results. Ball will continue to apply his leadership to drive shareholder value,
which includes setting the company’s corporate strategy, advancing its people-first
culture and building key stakeholder relationships.
With over 20 years of direct industry experience, Sullivan joined Koppers in
June 2013 as Vice President of Business Development before advancing into various
roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in his appointment to Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in January 2020.
Commenting on the change, Ball said, “Jim has contributed so much to the
evolution of Koppers since he joined the company over 10 years ago. From spearheading
the restructuring and resurgence of the Carbon Materials and Chemicals
business, to breaking down business unit silos by uniting operational leadership,
and advancing our 2025 Expand and Optimize strategic plan, he has driven a culture
of performance. I am very happy to recognize Jim’s accomplishments in this
way while also keeping him engaged in the next phase of Koppers evolution.”
Sullivan added, “It is my honor to accept this new responsibility as President
of Koppers. I am proud of our team around the world, who has demonstrated the
power of working together to drive results, improve safety, lead in sustainability,
and promote our values of People, Planet, and Performance. I look forward to
continuing to grow our business under Leroy’s leadership.”
Koppers, with corporate headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA, is an integrated global
provider of treated wood products, wood treatment chemicals, and carbon compounds.
Their products and services are used in a variety of niche applications in
a diverse range of end markets, including the railroad, specialty chemical, utility,
residential lumber, agriculture, aluminum, steel, rubber and construction industries.
They serve their customers through a comprehensive global manufacturing
and distribution network, with facilities located in North America, South America,
Australasia, and Europe.
For more information, visit www.koppers.com.
MiCROTEC Appoints Ofer Heyman As
New Corvallis CEO
MiCROTEC, a global leader in innovative scanning
solutions for the wood products industry, is pleased to
announce the appointment of Ofer Heyman as its new
Chief Executive Officer in Corvallis, OR. Heyman
brings a wealth of experience and a background in
the industry, making him a valuable addition to the
MiCROTEC team.
Prior to returning to MiCROTEC, Heyman served
Ofer Heyman
an impressive 17-year tenure at Lucidyne Technologies,
acquired by MiCROTEC in 2020. Beginning as
an image processing engineer in 1999, Heyman assumed roles like senior product
and project manager, director of business development, and ultimately, director of
operations from 2014 to 2016.
Frank Jöst, MiCROTEC Group CEO, expressed his enthusiasm about Ofer’s
return, “We are happy that we convinced Ofer to come back to Corvallis and support
us as we continue the MiCROTEC vision for the North American Market.”
MiCROTEC looks forward to leveraging Heyman’s leadership and industry experience
to further strengthen its position as a pioneer in wood scanning solutions.
MiCROTEC is a global technology partner for the wood processing industry,
constantly developing new approaches and solutions to add value to the sawmilling
and wood processing industry.
For more information, visit www.microtec.us.
BID Group Unveils AI-Powered Linear ResawExpert
Optimizer, Celebrates 100th Anniversary Of Comact
Brand
BID Group’s AI-Powered ResawExpert
BID Group of Mirabel, Quebec has introduced its innovative AI-Powered Linear
ResawExpert Optimizer with vision.
According to BID’s representative, this cutting-edge technology redefines wood
transformation by combining “precision, efficiency and innovation in the pursuit
of maximizing yield.”
BID's ResawExpert is a game changer, especially in Softwood and hardwood
processing, ensuring every inch of raw material is utilized efficiently, resulting in
superior products and significantly reduced losses.
Key features of BID’s AI-Powered Linear ResawExpert are as follows: independent
optimization and grading, rotation validation scanner, optimization by
units of clear wood, NHLA cutting grades and custom grades, quick and easy
installation on an existing line and more.
The innovation doesn't stop here, the resaw optimizer can be initiated in parallel
with ongoing operations, and activation can occur once tuning is completed,
minimizing downtime, and ensuring a smooth transition to enhanced results.
BID Group is currently implementing the first ResawExpert at a hardwood
flooring producer in Quebec. The project is progressing seamlessly, marking a
significant milestone.
"We are thrilled to introduce the AI-Powered ResawExpert, a testament to
BID's commitment to driving innovation in the industry,” said Simon Potvin,
President of Wood Processing at BID Group. “This technology not only enhances
the value of our customer’s products, but also contributes to sustainable practices
by minimizing waste.”
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