Columbia Forest Products partners with Greenwood Tree Farm Fund

Columbia Forest Products has announced an agreement with Greenwod Tree Farm Fund (GTFF) to use its FSC-certified timber for its MPX hardwood plywood.

The plantation-grown hybrid poplar log will be used for the creation of core veneers for the hardwood panels, which feature PureBond formaldehyde-free technology. Popular panels are superior to those made of fir and pine, according to the manufacturer, because they can suppress the thickness variation and core telegraphing of the veneers.

GTFF is a 35,000-acre tree farm and hardwood sawmill complex located in the Pacific Northwest. It is operated by GreenWood Resources as the investment and property manager. The Collins Companies manages the sawmill and markets the lumber under the brand of Pacific Albus, which refers to hybrid poplar varieties developed by GWR.

A new Meinan lathe will be installed alongside GTFF’s existing Upper Columbia Mill at the Boardman, Ore., plantation, assuring a highly efficient supply of core veneer cross-bands to Columbia’s plywood mill in Klamath Falls, Ore. 

Ed Woods, Columbia’s VP western zone, said that “the material from GTFF will be FSC-certified, and customers will continue to experience the smooth, easy-finishing panel faces they’ve come to enjoy with Columbia’s MPX products. Only now, they’ll be working with poplar cross-bands that come from GTFF’s immense Boardman plantation. 

“Though we have already been utilizing GTFF’s poplar veneer to make plywood, we have also been bringing eastern poplar all the way back to Oregon,” said Woods. “Having the veneer peeled on the plantation, within our state, is a tremendous logistical improvement. We are in business to assure our customers top-quality hardwood plywood when they need it, and the new operation in Boardman will position us even better to do just that.” 

GreenWood Resources, founded in 1998, is a global timberland investment and property management company specializing in the acquisition, development and management of high-yield, short-rotation, sustainable tree farms. GWR currently manages approximately $350 million of assets or commitments and is committed to certifying its tree farms under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or equivalent third party-audited certification programs. In addition, GWR has been a leader in the research and development of poplar as one of the key future sustainable feedstocks for bioenergy and biofuels.