Colville
http://www.vaagenbros.com
Research Partners:
Drs. Vikram Yadama, Karl Englund, and Robert Tichy
Washington State University, Wood Materials and Engineering
Year Project Began: 2004
Project Description:
Vaagen Brothers is an industry leader in lumber manufacturing, processing between 2500 and 3000 tons of logs every day. The result is a significant volume of wood residue. In its raw form, this residue (shavings, sawdust, wood chips and bark) has a low profit margin. The ability to convert this waste into a new source of revenue as a staple in wood-plastic composites (WPCs) would greatly diversify and strengthen the lumber business. The U.S. market for residential decking is estimated at $3.5 billion annually. WPCs currently capture only 15 percent of the total building materials business. However, their popularity in commercial and residential decking products is growing. In 2005, 30 companies manufactured WPC products for sales of almost $1 billion - a 200 percent growth since 2000. To capture a greater share of the market, WPCs need to gain wider acceptance by meeting standards for improved performance, appearance, low chemical use, and cost effectiveness. Vaagen Brothers and WSU researchers tested the feasibility of using sawmill waste to manufacture WPCs in a 2004 study with excellent results. The funding from this follow-on, second phase grant project will go towards perfecting the formula for producing WPCs that are ideal for use in commercial decking and gaining building code acceptance for the use of these materials in this market.
Labels: Colville, District_7, Northeast, RTD_Grant_Program_L-Z, WSU
