The Softwood Forest Products Buyer - March/April 2024

INDUSTRY NEWS
Continued from page 67
Two Coat Exterior Prime
Our two-coat process starts with a sealer to block
tannin migration, followed by a high performance
acrylic primer.
The result: RESERVE quality, inside and out.
Superior Wood
Made of quality, clear, finger-jointed Cedar or
Redwood, these products are naturally designed
for exterior use both species are ideal for enduring
extreme weather.
Surfacing + Sizes
+ Lengths
RESERVE products
come in a
wide range of
sizes, lengths and
finishes. Whether
the project
calls for S1S2E
or S4S, we offer
lengths ranging
from 16’ to
20’. Pattern
stock is also
available.
1x4 1x12
5/4x4 5/4x12
2x4 2x12
The Finest Stock, The Best Coating
Our Siskiyou Forest Products
RESERVE line is specially manufactured
and treated to create the highest quality
product available. Using state-of-the-art
application and curing equipment, our
premium Cedar and Redwood stock is made
to last for many generations. We are proud to
offer a beautiful, durable product that is ready
for installation and final painting the moment it
reaches the craftsmen.
that connect all of the company’s divisions and to help their teams operate more
efficiently. She also manages and oversees all of the claims for Continental
Underwriters book of business and helps in the recruiting, hiring and onboarding
process for her division.
Continental Underwriters Inc. is a Managing General Agency (MGA) and
wholesaler providing the forest products industry in North America with a broad
range of insurance and risk management solutions designed to safeguard against
losses and protect the value of the businesses they insure. Their programs offer
a portfolio of insurance coverages for the building materials, lumber, forest
products and woodworking industries.
Green’s first job in the forest products industry was when she was hired by
Continental Underwriters in 2019. When she first joined the company, she
brought over nine years of valuable experience in the insurance industry, primarily
in claims handling. A company representative said that Green has proven
to be an excellent addition to their team, as she possesses a strong passion for
assisting others and is driven to develop her career further by deepening her
knowledge of the company’s forest products niche. She is dedicated to providing
top-notch service to Continental Underwriters’ clients, agents and carrier
partners.
Green has been married to Bobby Green since 2022 and enjoys spending time
with family and friends, as well as visiting local wineries and traveling.
Continental Underwriters is a member of Lake States Lumber Association,
Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's Association, Appalachian Hardwood Manufacturers,
National Wood Pallet & Container Association, Hardwood Manufacturers
Association, North Carolina Forestry Association, Western Wood Products
Association, Mississippi Lumber Manufacturers Association, Southeastern
Lumber Manufacturers Association Inc., Great Lakes Timber Association,
National Hardwood Lumber Association, Virginia Forestry Association, West
Virginia Forestry Association and Wood Products Manufacturers Association.
For more information, visit www.contund.com.
The AGL Group Expands Services To
U.S.-Mexico Border
The AGL Group, headquartered in Weymouth, MA,
an international logistics firm and a leading freight
forwarder of forest products, has expanded their offerings
to now offer service to U.S.-Mexico border as
well as interior Mexico. With offices in Jacksonville,
FL, Barranquilla, Colombia and a 52,000 square foot
warehouse in Blakeslee, PA, AGL has a team dedicated
to cross border shipments. As the US-Mexico
Stephen A. Zambo trade grows AGL has strategically positioned itself to
be able to offer service straight through direct to our
clients Mexican partners.
“We no longer need to transload at the border, or have multiple entities
involved. We truly are a one stop shop for all loads going to the border and into
Mexico,” said Stephen Zambo, CEO.
To begin shipping with AGL into Mexico, please email Stephen Zambo at
SAZambo@TheAGLGroup.com, call their main line at 781-544-3970 or visit
www.theaglgroup.com.
SFPA Approves Dues Credit To
Lumber Manufacturer Members
Southern Forest Products Association’s (SFPA) executive
committee has approved a credit of $155,000,
or 51 percent of budgeted dues. With “flexibility” in
its capital reserves, SFPA will return the excess revenue
in the form of a dues credit on monthly reported
Southern Pine lumber shipments.
“The significant credit demonstrates SFPA’s commitment
to prudent budgeting and increasing SFPA’s
Eric Gee value for its members," said Eric Gee, SFPA’s executive
director. "This ongoing dedication has allowed
the SFPA, for the third time in its 118-year history, to
share excess revenue with lumber manufacturer members."
SFPA of Metairie, LA is a nonprofit trade association that has represented
manufacturers of Southern Pine lumber since 1915. Today, SFPA is the leading
source of information about Southern Pine lumber products for design-build
professionals and consumers.
“As we move forward into 2024, we remain committed to building on the
success of our lumber promotion activities, international market development,
and the Forest Products Machinery and Equipment Exposition,” said Rich
Mills, chairman of SFPA’s board of directors.
For more information, go to www.sfpa.org.
Logging Leader Says Rising Costs
Hurt The Industry
By Tom Inman
The logging industry must increase profitability
and change public perception to maintain its workforce
to survive, reports the director of the American
Loggers Council.
The remarks came at the recent Greensboro, NC,
meeting of the Appalachian Lumbermen’s Club.
Scott Dane, Council executive director, said the
Scott Dane national organization represents loggers in 38 states
through local chapters and was formed in 1994 to
serve as a unified, national voice for professional loggers across the United
States.
Dane said the industry is struggling with an aging workforce and low profit
margins. The average age of a logger in the U.S. is over 55 years and not
enough young people are considering the profession.
The Council supports the Future Logging Careers Act legislation which
proposes to exempt minors of age from employment by their parents in any
occupation on a job site owned and operated by their parents. Minors 16 and
older may perform any job, whether hazardous or not, which is similar to the
Fair Labor Standards Act.
Dane said logging companies have not been able to raise rates to match the
rising costs of insurance, equipment, fuel and wages. Dane noted that primary
and secondary manufacturers were very profitable in 2021 and 2022 when
demand for products were high.
“This really was not shared in the logging community,” he said. “Loggers
did not receive the same increases your companies did.”
The American Loggers Council is the only national organization solely
dedicated to representing the rights and interests of independent loggers and
log truck contractors on a national level. Dane said the Council combines the
power of its members with state and regional logging associations across the
country to help the industry by sharing the benefits of education, training,
networking, research, promotion and legislative advocacy.
The Council is producing a series of four videos to explain forest management
and sustainability, promote careers in logging and educate the public. The
first is available on the group’s website www.amloggers.com.
CALENDAR
March
LMC Annual Mtg., Houston, TX. www.lmc.net. March 5-7.
NAWLA Leadership Summit, El Conquistador, Tucson, AZ. www.nawla.
org. March 10-12.
SLMA/SFPA Spring Mtg & Expo, Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans, LA.
www.slma.org. March 20-22.
April
Montreal Wood Convention, Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal,
QC. www.montrealwoodconvention.com. April 9-11.
NAWLA Reg. Mtg., Fairmont the Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, QC.
www.nawla.org. April 9.
Western Wood Products Association, Hotel Indigo Downtown, Vancouver,
WA. www.wwpa.org. April 14-16.
Blane
SANDY NECK
LUMBER
EASTERN WHITE PINE
WESTERN RED CEDAR
Experience | Trusted | Service
1-888-726-3963
SNTraders.com
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