Arcadia, Louisiana -- US forest products company Weyerhaeuser is making speciality oriented strand board (OSB) using high-performance MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) adhesives at its plant in Arcadia, Louisiana.
Weyerhauser can now make its high-quality Edge Gold floor panels at Arcadia. These subfloor products are designed to resist edge swell for smooth, even floors, says the company. Adding the MDI capabilities will also allow Weyerhauser to produce furniture-grade OSB and rimboard.
"Converting to MDI allows Arcadia to produce higher quality OSB and gives us the ability to respond to customer needs by providing a wider variety of products not previously available close to southern US markets," said Curtis Rhodes, Arcadia plant manager, in a company statement. "Plus, the curing properties of MDI allow the press to run faster, which increases our throughput."
Mit Scott, Dallas-based OSB sales representative for Weyerhaeuser, said the company is now able to offer Edge Gold panels from Arcadia, "without having to rail them in from another mill."
Scott also commented that in the US, "housing starts are improving and more homebuilders are looking for enhanced flooring to eliminate their need to sand their subfloors."
Edge Gold floor panels are engineered for consistency to help builders construct flat and stable floors in homes, multi-family projects and light commercial construction. In 2012, Weyerhaeuser also started adding patented Down Poreself-draining technology to drain water off during construction, which helps eliminate potential panel damage from moisture and reduces delays in construction.
Weyerhaeuser provides a limited 50-year structural warranty against panel delamination on the looring.
MDI resin provides a high-strength bond for wood fibres and improved moisture resistance to help eliminate edge swell in OSB panels. The resin contains no added formaldehyde.
Federal Way, Washington-headquartered Weyerhaeuser is a major forest-products company, making structural frame materials, software and technical support for residential, multi-family, and light commercial construction.
At the end of 2011, the 112-year-old company employed about 12 800 in 11 countries and generated $6.2 billion in sales.
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