the softwood plywood industry in the united states, 1965-82

United StatesDepartment ofAgriculture

Forest Service

ForestProductsLaboratory

The SoftwoodPlywoodIndustry in theUnited States,1965-82

ResourceBulletinFPL 13

David B. McKeeverGary W. Meyer

Abstract Highlights

In 1982, 175 softwood plywood plants operated in theUnited States with a combined production capacity ofnearly 23.1 billion square feet (ft2 ) (3/8-in. basis) peryear, 60 percent greater than in 1965. The West wasthe region with largest capacity in 1982--12.5 billion ft2 .The South had 10.5 billion ft2 and the North less thanhalf a billion ft2 . Approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet(roundwood equivalent) of peeler logs were consumedin 1982 to produce 15.1 billion ft2 of softwood plywood.Domestic softwood plywood consumption in 1982 was14.6 billion ft2 , with residential construction accountingfor half.

Keywords: Softwood plywood, capacity, production,log prices, growing stock volumes, foreign trade.

April 1984

McKeever, David B.; Meyer, Gary W. The softwoodplywood industry in the United States, 1965-82. Res.Bull. FPL 13. Madison, WI: U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Forest Service, Forest Products Laboratory;1983. 20 p.

A limited number of free copies of this publication areavailable to the public from the Forest ProductsLaboratory, P.O. Box 5130, Madison, WI 53705.Laboratory publications are sent to over 1,000 librariesin the United States and elsewhere.

. . . In 1982, net exports in softwood plywood were 480million ft2 , only 2 percent of domestic production.Of the softwood plywood consumed domestically,nearly 50 percent went for residential construction,including additions and alterations.

. . . Industry capacity in the West has remained relative-ly unchanged since 1965, whereas the South hasmade net increases.

. . . In 1982, the average softwood plywood plant had anannual capacity of 132 million ft2 , up from 83 millionin 1965. From 1965 to 1982, production averaged 88percent of capacity.

. . . In 1982, 175 softwood plywood plants with a com-bined production capacity of nearly 23.1 billionsquare feet (ft2 ) (3/8-in. basis) operated in the UnitedStates. This is a 60 percent increase in capacitysince 1965.

The Laboratory is maintained in cooperation with theUniversity of Wisconsin.

The Softwood PlywoodIndustry in theUnited States, 1965-82David B. McKeever, Research ForesterGary W. Meyer, Statistical Assistant

Forest Products Laboratory, Madison, Wis.

Introduction

The first softwood plywood plant in the United Statesbegan production in 1905 in Portland, Oreg. Since thenthe industry has expanded and changed in many ways.The 175 plants operating in 1982 employed anestimated 40 thousand workers and produced 15.1billion square feet (ft2 ) (3/8-in. basis) of softwoodplywood valued at $2.7 billion.1

This report examines the current status of the U.S. soft-wood plywood industry as well as reasons for regionalcapacity and production shifts. Estimates of individualplant capacities for the years 1965, 1970, 1975, and1982 are presented. Production, imports, exports, ap-parent domestic consumption, and industry rawmaterial requirements are examined. The Forest Serviceestimates individual plant capacities based on a varietyof published sources including industry directories, cor-porate annual reports, trade journals, and associationreports. Capacity is defined here to be the square feetof softwood plywood (3/8-in. basis) that can be produc-ed under normal operating conditions on a 3-shift,5-day basis. This report includes only softwoodplywood plants. It does not include plants that producestructural panels from chips, wafers, flakes, or orientedwood strands. No attempt was made to identify plantsthat were idle for less than a year.

1 Forest Service estimates of employment and value ofshipments based on data from the U.S. Department of Com-merce, Bureau of the Census (1981).2Active plants include those that were operational for all orpart of the production year.3 The American Plywood Association (APA) estimates softwoodplywood production in 1982 to be 15.8 billion square feet. TheAPA figure includes both shop and reject panels which aresold in the market place; U.S. Department of Commerce datado not.

United States Capacity and Production

The softwood plywood industry in the United States isa dynamic, growing segment of the Nation’s primarywood-processing industries. It was larger in 1982, interms of total industry capacity, than at any time in its77-year history. The combined estimated annual capaci-ty of the 175 active2 plants is in excess of 23 billion ft2

(3/8-in. basis) (table A-1, fig. 1). The average plant iscapable of producing 132 million ft2 . With 1982 pro-duction estimated to be 15.1 billion ft2 (based onpreliminary U.S. Department of Commerce data3 ), theindustry operated at 65 percent of capacity.

The softwood plywood industry grew rapidly between1965 and 1975. Total capacity increased by more than 6billion ft2 , from 14.3 to 20.6 billion (table A-1, fig. 1).Capacity growth averaged 3.7 percent per year. Totalnumber of active plants also increased, but at a ratelower than capacity, resulting in an increase in averageplant size.

Between 1975 and 1982, net additions to capacityslowed dramatically, to less than half the annual rateof the previous 10-year period. The number of activeplants declined nearly 8 percent, from 190 to 175.Average plant size, however, continued to increase. Theaverage plant in 1982 had 132 million ft2 of capacity, 59percent greater than in 1965. This steady increase isdue in part to additions to capacity of existing plants,the larger average size of new plants, and the closingof smaller plants. Between 1975 and 1982, for example,new plants averaged 141 million ft2 of capacity, whileplants that closed averaged just 88 million ft2 .

In 1978, softwood plywood production peaked at nearly19.5 billion ft2 (3/8-in. basis), over 1-1/2 times the 1965production level (table A-2, fig. 1). In 1982, productionwas estimated at 15.1 billion ft2 , down nearly 23 per-cent from the record 1978 level.

Regional Capacity, Production,and Timber Resources

Figure 1.—U.S. softwood plywood productionand capacity, 1965-1982. (ML83 5496-2)

In general, softwood plywood production (and thuscapacity utilization) is very sensitive to U.S. economicconditions. During times of economic growth, such asthe period 1971 to 1973, industry production averagesnearly 95 percent of capacity; during times of economicrecession, such as the period 1974 to 1975, industryproduction averages well below 80 percent of capacity.

Since 1980, less than 70 percent of capacity has beenused. On the average, softwood plywood production isbetween 85 and 95 percent of industry capacity.

Douglas-fir and southern pine are the two major treespecies used to produce softwood plywood. Their com-bined 1982 production was 14.2 billion ft2 (3/8-in.basis)--90 percent of total production (table A-2). Theremaining 10 percent consists of a variety of species:cedar, hemlock, ponderosa pine, spruces, and firs.Douglas-fir is traditionally the most widely usedspecies for softwood plywood production. In 1965, 10.9billion ft2 of Douglas-fir plywood was produced--88percent of total production. During the late 1960’s andearly 1970’s, Douglas-fir plywood production changedlittle, averaging just over 10 billion ft2 per year. Itsproduction share was declining, however, because ofmore competitive southern pine plywood in eastern andmidwestern markets. During the late 1970’s, Douglas-firplywood production declined in both absolute andrelative terms. In 1981, when 6.7 billion ft2 wasproduced, southern pine plywood production of 7.5billion ft2 exceeded Douglas-fir plywood production forthe first time. Reasons for these changes will bediscussed later in this report.

Individual plant locations and capacities are listed intable A-3. The map at the end of this report shows plantlocations (fig. A-1).

Capacity

The softwood plywood industry in the West currentlyhas more production capacity than any other region.The 106 active plants are capable of producing nearly12.5 billion ft2 (3/8-in. basis) annually--54 percent of totalindustry capacity (table A-l, fig. 2). The average westernplant has 118 million ft2 of capacity. The industry in theSouth is second largest in terms of both numbers ofplants and total capacity. The 67 active plants haveannual capacity of 10.5 billion ft2 with an average ofnearly 157 million ft2 per plant. Thus, although there are37 percent fewer plants in the South than in the West,they are, on the average, 33 percent larger. The North,never a large producing region, has just two plants and90 million ft2 of capacity.

Prior to 1964, the softwood plywood industry waslocated entirely in the West. The 157 plants in opera-tion there in 1963 produced 10.3 billion ft2 (3/8-in. basis)of softwood plywood. Virtually all of this (92 pct) wasDouglas-fir. In 1964, after the successful developmentof the technology necessary to produce plywood fromthe rapidly expanding southern pine resource, the firstsouthern plywood plants opened in Arkansas andTexas. Nine new plants were added in 1965 bringing thenumber to 12. Thus, in 1965 there were 173 active soft-wood plywood plants in the United States--161 in theWest, 12 in the South. Industry capacity was 14.3billion ft2 --13.2 billion in the West, 1.1 billion in theSouth.

Figure 2.—U.S. softwood plywood plantcapacity by region, 1965-1982. (ML83 5496-1)

2

During the next 17 years, total capacity in the Westremained fairly constant, averaging approximately 13billion ft2. The number of active plants droppedsteadily, however--from 161 to 106--as newer, largerplants replaced older, smaller plants. Southern capacityincreased rapidly from 1.1 to 10.5 billion ft2 as did thenumber of active plants from 12 to 67. Average plantcapacity in both regions increased steadily.

Production

Regional softwood plywood production trends closelyfollow regional capacity trends. Western producersdominated the softwood plywood market through 1979.Production was fairly constant at approximately 11billion ft2 per year from 1965 through 1980 (table A-4,fig. 3). Their share of total production, however, steadilydeclined from a high of nearly 97 percent in 1965 tojust 54 percent in 1980. Meanwhile, southern plywoodproducers steadily increased production and their shareof total production. By 1981, the West accounted forless than half of total U.S. softwood plywood produc-tion. The South is now the largest producing region,exceeding the West by 150 million ft2. Southern plantsoperate at 72 percent of capacity, western plants at 60percent.

Timber Resources

Regional production and capacity differences in thesoftwood plywood industry are largely attributable toregional differences in the forest resource base. Timbervolumes, size, quality, and cost dictate the types ofpanels that can be economically produced. Douglas-firis traditionally the preferred species of westernplywood producers. In 1981, nearly 87 percent of allwestern plywood produced was Douglas-fir. Old growthstands provide the top-quality, large-diameter peelerlogs needed to produce the high-quality sanded andspecialty plywood grades. Sheathing production wasdeveloped as a sideline to use lower quality logs andexcess capacity. In contrast, the southern pineresource is ideally suited for sheathing-grade plywoodproduction. Peeler logs are generally small diameterand low quality. Little if any difference exists betweensouthern pine peeler logs and southern pine sawlogs.

Figure 3.—U.S. cumulative softwood plywoodproduction by region, 1965-1982.(ML83 5496-5)

Size and quality differences between Douglas-fir andsouthern pine peeler logs are directly reflected in theirprices. Large-diameter, high-quality Douglas-fir logs areconsistently more expensive than southern pine logs. In1967, the average price for Douglas-fir peeler logs fromwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon solddomestically was $103.8 per thousand board feet(M fbm) (table A-5, fig. 4). Southern pine logs from Loui-siana, meanwhile, were selling for an average $52.8 perM fbm. Since 1967, prices for both Douglas-fir andsouthern pine peeler logs have risen steadily. Douglas-fir peeler logs now sell for about $300 more per M fbmthan do southern pine logs. This price differential en-courages production of lower valued sheathing-gradeplywood in the South. Western producers must producehigher valued sanded and specialty plywood grades tocover their higher raw material costs.

The changing U.S. timber resource situation has con-tributed, and will continue to contribute, to the pricedifferential between Douglas-fir and southern pinepeeler logs. Since 1962, total volumes of small-diameter(18-in. diameter class and below) Douglas-fir have re-mained unchanged, while volumes in the large-diameterclasses have declined steadily (table A-6, fig. 5).Much of this decline has been in the more accessible,large-diameter, old-growth stands. Douglas-fir supply isthus smaller than simple reductions in total volumewould indicate. The volume decline is particularly steepfor the 29-inch-diameter and larger sizes, which are dif-ficult to obtain. Increased acquisition and removalcosts, a large Japanese log export market, and thewithdrawal of large national forest acreages from pro-duction for wilderness review are factors contributingto higher Douglas-fir log prices.

3

Figure 4.—U.S. Douglas-fir and southern pinepeeler log prices, 1965-1982. (ML83 5499)

Figure 5.—U.S. average annual change ingrowing stock volume by species anddiameter c/ass, 1962-1977. (ML83 5496-4)

In 1982, the southern pine resource had larger volumesin all diameter classes than in 1962. Total volume wasover 50 percent greater. Growth in the larger diameterclasses had been particularly rapid. Reforestation andforest fire control programs were very effective. Also,since little acreage is in the National Forest System,legislation setting aside forest land for wilderness andrecreational uses did not adversely affect the timbersupply situation. Large private commercial forestholdings were also helping assure a consistant log sup-ply to southern mills. Today these factors continue tohelp moderate southern pine log prices.

The consistent supply of lower quality logs at substan-tially lower costs, along with closer proximity to majoreast coast markets, is enabling the southern plywoodproducers to expand rapidly into eastern sheathingmarkets. These markets are economically unavailableto west coast producers. However, markets for thehigher valued sanded and specialty plywood grades, aswell as west coast sheathing markets, are stilldominated by western plywood. These regional dif-ferences have allowed rapid expansion of the southernsoftwood plywood industry over the past 20 years whileallowing western producers to substantially retain theirtraditional markets.

4

Exports, Imports, and ApparentDomestic Consumption

Foreign trade in softwood plywood is small comparedto domestic production. In 1982, softwood plywoodexports were estimated to be 500 million ft2 (3/8-in.basis), just 3 percent of domestic production (table A-7).Imports were 20 million ft2, just 0.1 percent of domesticproduction. Seventy percent of imports in 1979 camefrom three countries--the Philippines, the Republic ofKorea, and Taiwan (table 1). Seventy-five percent of U.S.exports went to European markets. Softwood plywoodimports peaked in 1978 at 63 million ft2; exports in 1975at 791 million ft2 .

Table 1 .—Percent of softwood plywood imports to and exportsfrom the United States, by country, 1979

Imports Exports

Origin Percent Destination Percent

PhilippinesRepublic of KoreaTaiwanMexicoHondurasCanadaBrazilGuatemalaOther

25261913

762

(1 )1

United KingdomBelgiumDenmarkCanadaFederal Republic

of GermanyItalyJapanOther

Total 100 Total1 Less than 0.5 percent.

23201611

532

12

100

Source: U.S. International Trade Commission (1981)

Apparent domestic softwood plywood consumption4

closely parallels domestic production because of lowlevels of net foreign trade. Consumption in 1982 was14.6 billion ft2, nearly 5 billion ft2 less than the recordconsumption of 19.3 billion ft2 in 1978 (table A-7).

Consumption rose rapidly between 1965 and 1978 (withthe exception of the recession years of 1974-75),averaging 3.5 percent per year. One reason for thisrapid increase is the substitution of plywood for lumber(particularly sheathing-grade plywood) in a variety ofconstruction applications. These include sheathing andsubflooring in residential construction and concreteformwork in nonresidential construction. Thesesubstitutions are reflected in the mix of plywoodgrades produced. In 1965, nearly 5.6 billion ft2 of sand-ed softwood plywood was produced domestically--45percent of total production (table A-8, fig. 6). The re-maining 55 percent was sheathing-grade plywood. Fromproduction) was produced. Sheathing production in-creased to 15.2 billion ft2 by 1978, 78 percent of totalproduction. In 1979, 12 percent of total U.S. plywoodproduction was specialty grade. Prior to 1979, specialtyproduction was included in sanded and sheathing pro-duction. Sanded production was 19 percent, andsheathing was 69 percent. Preliminary 1982 estimates

4 Domestic consumption = domestic production + imports -exports.

Figure 6.—U.S. softwood plywood productionby grade, 1965-1982. (ML83 5496-3)

indicate just 17 percent of U.S. production to be sand-ed, 74 percent sheathing, and 9 percent specialty.

New residential construction is the major end use forsoftwood plywood, accounting for 32 percent ofdomestic consumption in 1982 (table 2). The increasedaverage size of these new residential units is one of thefactors affecting the shifts in domestic consumptionpatterns. Residential alterations and additions, newnonresidential construction, industrial uses, and otheruses account for nearly equal amounts of the remaining68 percent.

Table 2.—Estimates1 of U.S. softwood plywood consumptionby major end uses, 1982

SoftwoodEnd use plywood Percent

consumption

Billion ft2

(3/8-in. basis)

New residential construction

Residential additions andalterations

New nonresidentialconstruction

Industrial 2

4.7 32

2.6 18

2.6 18

2.5 17

Other 2.2 15Total, all end uses 14.6 100

1 Forest Service estimates based on data from the AmericanPlywood Association.

2 Industrial includes materials handling, transportation equip-ment, products made for sale, and plant maintainence andrepalr.

Source: Anderson (1983).

5

Raw Material Requirements

Softwood plywood recovery (output per unit of input)varies from plant to plant and region to region. Varia-tions result from many factors including plant equip-ment and panel types produced and log sizes, species,and quality. The average plant in the West requires 72.5cubic feet (ft3 ) of logs to produce 1,000 ft2 (3/8-in. basis)of softwood plywood, a recovery rate of 43.1 percent.5

Recovery in the South is slightly higher at 44.4 percent.Southern plants require 70.4 ft3 of logs to produce 1,000ft.2 Lower recovery in the West is due, in part, to thelarger volume of sanded plywood produced. Based onthese recovery rates, the 7.4 billion ft2 of softwoodplywood produced in the West in 1982 used 537 millionft3 of softwood peeler logs. Southern production ofnearly 7.6 billion ft2 used 532 million ft3 of logs. Thus,1,069 million ft3 of softwood logs was consumed by thesoftwood plywood industry in 1982. This translates toapproximately 13 percent of the total U.S. softwoodroundwood harvest.

Technologies to improve recovery are currently beingdeveloped. The powered back-up roll (PBR) is oneexample (Fronczak and Loehnertz 1982). The PBRprovides a practical and efficient means to provideauxiliary torque to veneer bolts, thus minimizingspinout, reducing core size, and making previouslyunpeelable logs peelable. Test results indicate a 2percent increase in veneer recovery using the PBR(Loehnertz 1982). Such new technologies may increasethe profits in softwood plywood manufacture by reduc-ing raw material requirements.

5 Source: Personal correspondence with Robert G. Anderson,Director, Market Research and Economic Services Division,American Plywood Association, Tacoma, Wash., June 14,1983. On file with the author.

Summary and Conclusions

The softwood plywood industry is an importantsegment of the primary wood-processing industries inthe United States. It employs an estimated 40 thousandworkers and annually produces 15.1 billion ft2 (3/8-in.basis) of softwood plywood valued at $2.7 billion. The175 active plants in the United States in 1982 had acombined annual capacity of nearly 23.1 billion ft2 .

Prior to 1964, Oregon, Washington, and California werethe major softwood plywood producing states. In 1964,the South began producing plywood and became themajor industry growth center. In 17 years its capacityincreased from under a billion ft2 to over 10 billion ft2

per year. Reasons for this rapid capacity growthinclude lower raw material costs that allow for theproduction of low-cost sheathing-grade panels; closeproximity to major markets in the East and Midwest;and relatively newer, more efficient technology. TheWest, however, remains the region with largestcapacity at 12.5 billion ft2, slighly less than its 1965capacity.

Future prospects for the U.S. softwood plywoodindustry are mixed and uncertain. New residentialconstruction, which accounts for nearly a third of totaldomestic consumption, is beginning to rebound afteran extended 3-year slump. The renewed housing marketis expected to stimulate production, although recordproduction levels set in the late 1970’s are notexpected to be regained. Increasing competition fromstructural panels made from reconstituted wood (i.e.,waferboard, flakeboard, and oriented strandboard)threaten to capture an increasing share of theresidential sheathing market. New technologiescurrently being developed will help increase industryproductivity.

The powered back-up roll, for example, will increaseraw material utilization by reducing chuck spin-out andcore size in veneer peeling.

6

Literature Cited

American Plywood Association. Softwood plywood pro-duction statistics. Management Bull. No. FA-210.Tacoma, WA: American Plywood Association; 1981.22 p.

Anderson, Robert G. Regional production and distribu-tion patterns of the softwood plywood industry. Econ.Rep. E21. Tacoma, WA: American Plywood Associa-tion; 1976. 31 p.

Anderson, Robert G. Regional production and distribu-tion patterns of the softwood plywood industry. Econ.Rep. E27. Tacoma, WA: American Plywood Association;1979. 31 p.




Anderson, Robert G. Plywood end-use marketing pro-files 1982-1984. Econ. Rep. E34. Tacoma, WA: AmericanPlywood Association; 1983. 50 p.

C. C. Crow Publications, Inc. Crow’s plywood guide.1975 ed. Portland, OR: C. C. Crow Publications, Inc.;1975. 63 p.

Dickerhoof, H. E.; McKeever, D. B. Resource potentialfor waferboard production in the United States. In: Pro-ceedings, 1980 Canadian waferboard symposium.Szabo, T.; Gribble, H. W., co-ordinators. Special Publ.SP 505E. Vancouver, B.C.: Forintek Canada Corp.; 1981.407-424.

Forest Industries. Plywood and veneer producers.Forest Industries 92(1): 119-182; 1965.

Forest Industries. Softwood plywood and veneer andhardwood plywood producers. Forest Industries 97(1):118-138; 1970.

Forest Industries. Directory of panel plants--USA.Forest Industries 102(3): 101-124; 1975.




Fronczak, Frank J.; Loehnertz, Stephen P. Poweredback-up roll--new technology for peeling veneer. USDAForest Serv. Res. Pap. FPL 428. Madison, WI: ForestProducts Laboratory; 1982; 10 p.

Georgia-Pacific. 1980 annual report. Portland, OR:Georgia-Pacific; 1981.

Loehnertz, Stephen P. Industrial performance ofpowered back-up roll for peeling veneer. USDA ForestServ. Res. Pap. FPL 430. Madison, WI: Forest ProductsLaboratory; 1982; 5 p.

Miller Freeman Publications. Directory of the forest pro-ducts industry. San Francisco, CA: Miller FreemanPublications; 1982. 633 p.

Publication Development, Inc. Wood review directoryservice--plywood veneer. Portland, OR: PublicationDevelopment, Inc.; 1981. 21 p.

Ruderman, Florence K. Production, prices, employment,and trade in Northwest forest industries, secondquarter 1976. U.S. Department of Agriculture, ForestService, Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Forest andRange Experiment Station; 1976; 67 p.

Ruderman, Florence K. Production, prices, employment,and trade in Northwest forest industries, secondquarter 1982. U.S. Department of Agriculture, ForestService, Portland, OR: Pacific Northwest Forest andRange Experiment Station; 1982; 64 p.

Timber Mart South, Inc. Timber Mart South. Vol. 1-7.Highlands, NC: F. W. Noris; 1982.

Ulrich, Alice H. U.S. timber production, trade, consump-tion, and price statistics, 1950-80. Misc. Publ. No. 1408.Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, ForestService; 1981. 81 p.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Timbertrends in the United States. Forest Res. Rep. No. 17.Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, ForestService; 1965. 235 p.

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U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Theoutlook for timber in the United States. Forest Res.Rep. No. 20. Washington, DC: U.S. Department ofAgriculture, Forest Service; 1973. 367 p.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service. Ananalysis of the timber situation in the United States,1952-2030. Forest Res. Rep. No. 23.Washington, DC:U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service; 1982.499 p.

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census.1977 Census of manufactures. Volume II. Industrystatistics. Part 1. SIC Major Groups 20-26. Washington,DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of theCensus; 1981.

U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the CensusSoftwood plywood. Current Ind. Reps. Ser. MA-24H(annual). Washington, DC: U.S. Department ofCommerce, Bureau of the Census; 1982.

U.S. International Trade Commission. Summary of tradeand tariff information--softwood veneer and plywood.TSUS item 240.03, USITC Publ. 841. Washington, DC:U.S. International Trade Commission; 1981. 51 p.

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Appendix AStatistical Tables

Table A-1. Number of, and total annual and average annual capacity of, active softwood plywoodplants in the United States by region and state, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1982

1965 1970 1975 1982Region and

statePlants Annual capacity Plants Annual capacity P l ant s Annual capacity Plants Annual capacity

Total Average Total Average Total Average Total AverageNo. Million ft2 , No. Million ft2 , No. Million ft2 , No. Million ft2 ,

3-8-in. basis 3/8-in. basis 3/8-in. basis 3/8-in. basis

North 0 0 0 1 50 50 0 0 0 2 90 45

South 12 1,160 97 40 3,785 95 57 6,675 117 67 10,515 157

West 161 13,170 82 138 12,770 93 133 13,960 105 106 12,465 118

United States 173 14,330 83 179 16,605 93 190 20,635 109 175 23,070 132Source: Table A-3.

Table A-2--U.S. softwood plywood production, by species, 1965-1982

Year TotalDouglas-fir 1 Southern Other

production pine softwoods-- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Million ft.2 , 3/8-in. basis - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

1965 12,428 10,902 3731966 12,849 10,258 1,1001967 12,840 9,694 1,7101968 14,385 10,423 2,3491969 13,538 9,370 2,802

1970 14,149 9,636 3,3161971 16,353 10,498 4,3121972 17,843 10,955 5,2001973 17,929 10,680 5,4371974 15,306 8,942 5,307

1975 15,706 8,779 5,4391976 17,906 9,315 6,7901977 18,877 9,675 7,4381978 19,492 9,646 7,7531979 18,204 2 8,481 27,975

1980 15,483 7,262 26,7351981 15,714 6,748 27,4571982 315,100 4NA NA

1 Includes plywood with Douglas-fir face veneers and inner veneers of other species.2 Forest Service estimate.3 Preliminary.4 NA = not available.

Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (1982).

1,1531,4911,4361,6131,366

1,1971,5431,6881,8121,447

1,4881,8011,7642,093

2 1,748

21,48621,509

NA

9

Table A-3.--U.S. softwood plywood plants by location and capacity, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1982

State PlantNo. Plant name

Michigan 1

New York 2

Alabama 3456

87

91011

Arkansas 121314151617

181920

Florida 21222324

Georgia 252627282930

Forest Fiber ProductsTotal active capacityTotal active plants

Whitehall Plywood Co.Total active capacityTotal active plants

Total active capacity,North

Total active plants,North

Champion InternationalGeorgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.MacMillan Bloedel Inc.Scotch Plywood Co.Sumter Plywood Corp.TMA Forest ProductsUnion Camp Corp.Weyerhaeuser Co.

Total active capacityTotal active plants

Georgia-Pacific Corp. No. 1Georgia-Pacific Corp. No. 2Georgia-Pacific Corp.International Paper Co.Manville Forest ProductsUmpire Timber Products

Inc.Weyerhaeuser Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.Willamette Industries Inc.


Boise Cascade Corp.Coastal Lumber Co.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.


Champion InternationalGeorgia Kraft Co.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Great Southern

Plywood Co.Total active capacityTotal active plants

Plant location Year Yearopened closed

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982

Million ft2 , 3/8-in. basis

NORTH

Bessemer 1970

Whitehall 1981

SOUTH

Cordova 1970Peterman 1978Talladega 1975Pine Hill 1968Fulton 1965Livingston 1971Andalusia 1970Chapman 1968Millport 1977

Crossett 1965Crossett 1965Fordyce 1964Gurdon 1967Huttig 1970

GlenwoodDierksMountain PineEmerson

1975197119711979

1978

Pensacola 1971Havana 1981Chiefland 1967Hawthorne 1982

1974

1981

Waycross 1968Madison 1979Monticello 1970Savannah 1966Warm Springs 1975

Cedar Springs 1968

(Page 1 of 8)

Table A-3.--U.S. softwood plywood plants by location and capacity, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1982--con.

State

Louisiana

Maryland 48

Mississippi

NorthCarolina

Oklahoma 60

SouthCarolina 61

62636465

PlantNo.

31

32333435363738394041424344454647

495051525354

5556575859

Plant name

Anthony ForestProducts Co.

Boise Cascade Corp.Boise Southern Corp.Boise Southern Corp.Champion InternationalCrown ZellerbachGeorgia-Pacific Corp.Hunt Plywood Co.International Paper Co.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.Manville Forest ProductsSantiam Southerm Corp.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.


Chesapeake Bay PlywoodCorp.Total active capacityTotal active plants

Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.International Paper Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.


Boise Cascade Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Weyerhaeuser Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.


Weyerhaeuser Co.Total active capacityTotal active plants

Boise Cascade Corp.Champion InternationalGeorgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Holly Hill Lumber Co.


Plant location Yearopened

SOUTH--con.

Plain Dealing 1968Dequincy 1973Florien 1965Oakdale 1965Hammond 1966Joyce 1967Logansport 1979Pollock 1981Springhill 1981Urania 1970Winnfield 1966Ruston 1965Dodson 1966Minden 1966Natchitoches 1967Taylor 1978Zwolle 1978

Pocomoke City 1966

Gloster 1967Louisville 1966Taylorsville 1970Wiggins 1971Beaumont 1966Philadelphia 1965

Moncure 1967Dudley 1980Whiteville 1971Jacksonville 1966Plymouth 1965

Wright City 1971

Chester 1981Newberry 1974Prosperity 1975Russellville 1969Holly Hill 1972

Yearclosed

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982


(Page 2 of 8)

Table A-3.--U.S. softwood plants by location and capacity, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1982--con.


Texas 6667686970717273747576

Virginia 77

California 7879

828384

8081

8586

878889909192

93

94

Champion InternationalChampion InternationalInternational Paper Co.Kirby Forest Industries Inc.Kirby Forest Industries Inc.Kirby Forest Industries Inc.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.Owens-Illinois Inc.Temple-Eastex Inc.Temple-Eastex Inc.


Georgia-Pacific Corp.Total active capacityTotal active capacityTotal active plants

Total active capacity,South

Total active plants,South

Arcata Plywood Corp.American Forest Products

Corp.Cal-Coast PlywoodCarolina-California

Plywood Inc.Champion InternationalCloverdale Products Co.Diamond International

Corp.Fortuna Veneer Co.Gold Rey Forest Prods.,

Inc.International Paper Co.Lindroth Timber ProductsLorenz Lumber Co.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.,

SonoraNorthern California

Plywood Inc.Orleans Veneer & Plywood

co.


SOUTH--con.

Camden 1979Corrigan 1972Nacogdoches 1970Bon Wier 1975Cleveland 1980Silsbee 1964Lufkin 1965New Waverly 1971Jasper 1971Diboll 1964Pineland 1974

Emporia 1966

WEST

Arcata 1952

Martell 1959Arcata 1979

Salyer 1958Shasta 1952Cloverdale 1957

1967

1979

1966

1979

Red Bluff 1956Fortuna 1955 1975

Redding 1971 1973Weed 1911 1975Cloverdale 1959 1966Burney 1963 1978Ft. Bragg 1969 1977Samoa 1959 1977

Standard

Crescent City

A r c a t a

1960

1952 1967

1955 1974

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982


(Page 3 of 8)


State PlantNo. Plant name Plant location Year

openedYear

closed

California--con. 95

969798

99100

101102

Colorado 103

Idaho 104105106107108109

Montana 110111112113114115116117

Oregon 118 Alpine Veneers Inc. Portland 1969119 Astoria Plywood Corp. Astoria 1951120 Bohemia, Inc. Culp Creek 1959121 Bohemia, Inc. Drain 1958122 Bohemia, Inc. Gardiner 1951123 Bohemia, Inc. Junction City 1960124 Bohemia, Inc. Vaughn 1956125 Boise Cascade Corp. 1959126

AlbanyBoise Cascade Corp. Corvallis 1954

127 Boise Cascade Corp. Elgin 1964128 Boise Cascade Corp. Independence 1959129 Boise Cascade Corp. Medford 1964130 Boise Cascade Corp. Sweet Home 1958

Pacific Lumber Co.Pacific Lumber Co.Plywood Mfg. of Calif., Inc.Simpson Timber Co.,

Mad RiverSimpson Timber Co.Simpson Timber Co.,

FairhavenStandard Plywood Co.Tri State Plywood Co.


Montezuma Plywood CoTotal active capacityTotal active plants

Boise Cascade Corp.Boise Cascade Corp.Idaho Veneer Co.Potlatch Corp.Potlatch Corp.Potlatch Corp.


Champion InternationalChampion InternationalEvans Products Co.Montana Plywood, Inc.Pack River Plywood Co.Plum Creek Lumber Co.Plum Creek Lumber Co.St. Regis Paper Co.


WEST--con.

Redcrest 1959Scotia 1966Torrance 1953

1965

Arcata 1947 1979Eureka 1948 1969

EurekaCrescent CitySanta Clara

195019541954

19751967

1965 1975

Emmett 1971Payette 1960Post Falls 1964Lewiston 1952Pierce 1966St. Maries 1964

1969

Bonner 1974Polson 1956Missoula 1960Whitefish 1958Polson 1970Columbia Falls 1965Kalispell 1960Libby 1962

1967198019701972

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982


(Page 4 of 8)


State PlantNo. Plant name Plant location Year

openedYear

closed

Oregon--con. 131132133134135136137138139140141142143144145146

147148149150151152153154155156157

158159160161162163164165166167168169170

171172173174175176177178179180181182

Boise Cascade Corp.Boise Cascade Corp.Brand-S Corp., Benton Div.Brand-S Corp., Leading Div.Camac Veneer, Inc.Champion InternationalChampion InternationalChampion InternationalChampion InternationalChampion InternationalChampion InternationalChampion InternationalCoast Range Plywood Inc.Columbia Plywood Corp.Coos Head Timber Co.Diamond International

Corp.D-L Veneer & Plywood Co.Ellingson Timber Co.Emerald Forest ProductsEmerald Forest ProductsFir-Ply Inc. No. 2Falcon Plywood Co.Forest Industries Inc.Fourply Inc.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp.

Irving Rd.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Georgia-Pacific Corp. No. 1Georgia-Pacific Corp. No. 2Georgia-Pacific Corp.Gregory Timber ResourcesHines Lumber Co.Kinzua Corp.Kogap Mfg. Co.Lane Plywood Inc.Lang & Gangnes Corp.Linnton Plywood Assn.Louisiana-Pacific Corp.Martin Bros. Container

& TimberMedford Corp.Menasha Corp.Merlin Forest Products Co.Miller Redwood Co.Milwaukie Plywood Corp.Mt. Jefferson Lumber Co.Mt. Mazama Plywood, Inc.Multnomah Plywood Corp.Multnomah Plywood Corp.Murphy Co.Myrtle Creek Plywood Inc.North Santiam

Plywood Co.

WEST--con.

Valsetz 1958White City 1962Corvallis 1953Corvallis 1963Eugene 1949Eugene 1940Gold Beach 1960Lebanon 1941Mapleton 1948Reedsport 1963Roseburg 1958Willamina 1939McMinnville 1955Klamath Falls 1957Coos Bay 1956

RedmondMcMinnvilleBakerCresswellEugeneWhite CityEugeneDillardGrants PassCoos BayCoquille

19651962196419661953195719561952196119591936

Eugene 1955Mohawk 1959Springfield 1940Springfield 1960Toledo 1953Glendale 1963Hines 1965Kinzua 1974Medford 1974Eugene 1950White City 1952Portland 1953Tillamook 1958

Oakland 1949Medford 1961North Bend 1949Merlin 1963Merlin 1956Milwaukie 1950Lyons 1967Sutherlin 1954Portland 1950St. Helens 1962Springfield 1955Myrtle Creek 1947

1966

19671970

1977

1968

1966

Mill City 1964

19691970

19751966

1972

1966

1973

1967

1979

197619711970

1979

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982


(Page 5 of 8)

Table A-3.--U.S. softwood plants by location and capacity, 1965, 1970, 1975, and 1982--con.


Oregon--con. 183

184185186187188189190191192193194195196197198

199200

201

202

203

204

205206207208

209210

211212213214215

216217

218219220221222223

Oregon WashingtonPlywood Co.

Pacific Teollisuus, Inc.Plyboard Corp.Port Plywood Co.Publishers Paper Co.Rosboro Lumber Co.Roseburg Lumber Co. No. 1Roseburg Lumber Co. No. 2Roseburg Lumber Co. No. 3Roseburg Lumber Co. No. 4Roseburg Lumber Co. No. 5Roseburg Lumber Co. No. 6Sel-Ply ProductsSimpson Timber Co.Simpson Timber Co.Southern Oregon

Plywood Co.South Coast Lumber Co.Southwest Forest

Industries No. 1Southwest Forest




Industries No. 6Timber Products Co.Tim-Ply Co.Treplex Inc. No. 1Warm Springs Forest

ProductsWest Ridge Plywood Inc.Western States Plywood

Co-opWeyerhaeuser Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.Weyerhaeuser Co.White City Plywood Co.

No. 1Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.

GriggWillamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Willamette Industries Inc.Winchester Plywood Co.


Plant location Year Year Annual capacity

opened closed 1965 1970 1975 1982

WEST--con.

Garibaldi 1946Gold Beach 1974Brownsville 1981Astoria 1959Portland 1958Springfield 1960Dillard 1952Dillard 1956Roseburg 1946Riddle 1970Coquille 1961Coquille 1952White City 1968Albany 1941Lyons 1954

Grants PassBrookings

19491952

Albany 1955

Grants Pass 1962

Grants Pass 1955

White City 1955

White CityMedfordGrants PassEugene

1955194719531957

Warm Springs 1956Westfir 1951

Port Orford 1953Cottage Grove 1956Klamath Falls 1971North Bend 1963Springfield 1952

White City 1957Lebanon 1961

Lebanon 1949Aumsville 1952Dallas 1955Foster 1958Springfield 1966Sweet Home 1959Winchester 1951

19741975

19661977

1974

1967

1975

1978

1974

1967

1969


(Page 6 of 8)

15



Washington 224225226227228229230231232233

234

Bingen Plywood Co.Boise Cascade Corp.Boise Cascade Corp.Boise Cascade Corp.Buffelen Woodworking Co.Centralia Plywood, Inc.Champion InternationalCrown ZellerbachElma Plywood Corp.Evans Products Cd.,

Apco Div.Evans Products Co.,

Harbor Div.235 Everett Plywood Corp.236 Farwest Plywood Co.237 Fort Vancouver

238239

Plywood Co.Georgia-Pacific Corp.Hardel Mutual

240241242243244245246247248249250251

252253254255

Plywood Corp.Hoquiam Plywood Co., Inc.Industrial Lumber ProductsInternational Paper Co.Lacey Plywood Co., Inc.Lowell Plywood Co., Inc.Lyle Plywood Co.Mt. Baker Plywood Inc.North Pacific Plywood Inc.Olympic Plywood, Inc.Peninsula Plywood Corp.Pope & Talbot, Inc.Publishers Forest

Products Co.Puget Sound Plywood Inc.Scandia PlySimpson Timber Co.Simpson Timber Co.,

CentralSimpson Timber Co.,

OlympicSimpson Timber Co.,

SheltonSt. Regis Paper CompanySt. Regis Paper CompanyStevenson Co-Ply, Inc.Textured Forest Products

256

257

258259260261


WEST--con

Bingen 1958Kettle Falls 1967Spokane 1968Yakima 1962Tacoma 1916Centralia 1951Seattle 1929Omak 1970Elma 1952

1979

1978

Aberdeen 1927 1968

Aberdeen 1925Everett 1923Tacoma 1948

19751974

Vancouver 1928Olympia 1929 1967

Olympia 1950Hoquiam 1947Tacoma 1972Chelatchie 1960Lacey 1951Everett 1924Tacoma 1933Bellingham 1950Tacoma 1921Aberdeen 1936Port Angeles 1941Kalama 1949

1979

19651970

1969

1979

Anacortes 1939Tacoma 1942Tacoma 1966McCleary 1912

1970

Olympia 1925

Shelton 1941

1967

1975

Shelton 1975Olympia 1921Tacoma 1936Stevenson 1949Washougal 1971

19671969

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982


(Page 7 of 8)

16


State PlantNo.

Plant name Plant location Year Yearopened closed

WEST--con.

Washington--con.

262 Three Rivers Plywood &Timber Co. Darrington 1955 1965

263 Tidewater Plywood, Inc. Everett 1964 1965264 Weyerhaeuser Co. Longeview 1947265 Weyerhaeuser Co. Snoqualmie Falls 1959

Total active capacityTotal activeplants

Total active capacity,West

Total active plants,West

Total active capacity,U ited States

Total active plants,United States

1 Plant opened during current year, included in totals.2 IncIudes hardwood plywood capacity.3 Softwood plywood operations ceased, other operations still active, excluded from totals.4 Plant idle during current year, excluded from totals.5 Composite panel plant.6 Plant closed during current year, included in totals.

Sources: American Plywood Association (1981)Anderson, Robert G. (1976,1979,1980,1981,1982)C.C. Crow Publications, Inc. (1975)Georgia-Pacific Corp. (1981)Forest Industries (1965,1970,1975,1976,1980,1981)Miller Freeman Publications (1982)Publications Development, Inc. (1981)

Annual capacity

1965 1970 1975 1982


(Page 8 of 8)

Table A-4.--U.S. softwood plywood production, by region, 1965-1982.

Regional production1

Year Totalproduction West South North

Volume Percent Volume Percent Volume Percent

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Million ft2 , 3/8-in. basis-------------------------------------------------------------

2

1 Forest Service estimates based on regional American Plywood Association data.2 Preliminary.

Source: Anderson (1982.) U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (1982).

17

Table A-5.--Douglas-fir and southern pine peeler logprices in the United States, 1965-1982

Year Douglas-fir Southern pine Percentpeeler logs1 peeler logs2 , 3 difference

------------Dollar per M fbm, Scribner log rule------------

1 Prices for domestic sales in western Washington andnorthwestern Oregon. Prices may include transportation andhandling costs.2 Prices for sales from private lands in Louisiana.3 Prices for 1967-1976 are Forest Service estimates based onaverage sawlog prices.4 NA = not available.

Source: Ruderman, Florence K. (1976, 1982). Timber MartSouth, Inc. (1982). Ulrich, Alice H. (1981).

Table A-6.--U.S. net growing stock volume by region, species, and diameter class, 1962, 1970, and 1977

Region Year 5-6.9 7-8.9

Diameter class (in.)

9-10.9 11-18.9 19-28.9 29+ Total----------------------------------------------------------- Billion f t 3---------------------------------------------------------------------

DOUGLAS-FIR

West 1962 2.9 4.8 6.0 24.6 25.4 42.5 106.1

1970 3.5 4.7 5.5 24.6 23.0 35.6 96.9

Percent changeper year

South

197 3.3 4.6 5.5 25.1 22.7 32.3 93.5

.9 -.3 -.6 .2 -.7 -1.7 -.8

SOUTHERN PINE

1962 6.7 10.1 11.1 26.3 3.2 .1 57.5

1970 8.2 11.8 13.2 33.7 5.0 .1 72.0

1977 10.8 15.3 16.7

Percent changeper year 3.2 2.8 2.8

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service (1965, 1973, 1982).

40.5 6.0 .2 89.5

2.9 4.3 4.7 3.0

18

Table A-7.--Production, imports, exports, and apparent domesticconsumption of softwood plywood in theUnited States. 1950-1980

Year Domestic Apparent

production Imports Exports domesticconsumption 1

--------------------------Mill ion ft 2 , 3/8-in, basis ----------------------------

1965 12,4281966 12,8491967 12,8401968 14,3851969 13,538

533

1015

23694

30488564

199

12,40212,80412,75814,33213,354

1970 14,1491971 16,3541972 17,8431973 17,9291974 15,306

114 14,03899 16,258

221 17,629411 17,527542 14,769

1975 15,706 7 791 14,9221976 17,906 12 716 17,2021977 18,877 18 287 18,6091978 19,492 63 298 19,2571979 18,204 27 402 17,829

1980 15,483 37 373 15,1471981 15,714 21 686 15,049

2 1982 15,100 201 Production + imports - exports.2 Preliminary.

500 14,620

Source: Ulrich, Alice H. (1981). U.S. Department of Commerce,Bureau of the Census (1982).

Table A-8.--Softwood plywood production in the United States, by grade, 1965-1982

Source: Anderson (1983). U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census (1982).

19

Figure A-1.—U.S. softwood plywood plantlocations and regional breakdown used inthis report.

20

the softwood plywood industry in the united states, 1965-82

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