Kentucky Wood Industry E-News 

 

University of Kentucky Welcomes
Primary Forest Products Extension Associate 
The University of Kentucky welcomes aboard Chad Niman, to the Forestry Extension Team as Primary Forest Industry Extension Associate. Chad is a graduate of the University of Kentucky Forestry program. Chad will be working directly with Bobby Ammerman, Terry Conners, and Jeff Stringer providing statewide support to forest products industries including logging. Prior to this position, Chad worked in forestry in Central and Western Kentucky. Chad will hit the ground running as editor of the Wood Industry E-News and co-editor of the Kentucky Log Jam Newsletter. He will be acquainting himself with the wood industry over the course of the next year with assistance from the Kentucky Forest Industries Association and its members.
Kentucky Wood Expo - 
September 18th & 19th, 2015
The KFIA Board of Directors in conjunction with the Wood Expo Ky Wood Expo Logo Committee will host the 31st Kentucky Wood Expo at Masterson Station Park in Lexington on September 18 & 19, 2015.  The Expo will remain on an every other year schedule in Lexington. The show was very well received in 2013 and was a huge success in Lexington.  Both exhibitor and attendance numbers were up and the Association looks forward to building on the show even more in 2015.  KFIA appreciates all of the assistance provided by members through donations of time, money and attendance at the Wood Expo. For more information about the Kentucky Wood Expo, click here.
Ohio Valley Lumber
Drying Association 2015 Fall Meeting 
The fall meeting of the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association will 
meet in Johnson City, TN on November 11 - 13, 2015 at the
Millennium Centre. This will be a joint 
meeting of the Ohio Valley Lumber Drying Association, Southeast Dry Kiln Club and the Appalachian Dry Kiln Association. The meeting will feature an advanced lumber drying seminar by, Dr. Eugene Wengert. This seminar will deliver practical, proven and economical ways to improve drying operations. For more information about the meeting visit the OVLDA website at www.ovlda.com or contact Bobby Ammerman at 859-257-9511 ext. 256.
5-Day Lumber Grading Short Course
The value of "rules conscious" employees is a more carefully manufactured product, a more profitable yield from the log, and a better sense of the value of the lumber being handled. This four-day workshop will include a thorough study and explanation of the NHLA Rules Book, emphasizing the basics of hardwood lumber inspection. This popular workshop gives yardmen, sawyers, edgermen, sales and office staff, and management level personnel an introduction to lumber inspection. Classes will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m.
  
INSTRUCTOR
This short course will be taught by Benji Richards, NHLA National Inspector.
 
FEES & REGISTRATION
The seminar fee includes registration, NHLA Rules Book, Student Manual for Lumber Grades, Certificate of Completion and lunch each day. Notebook, clipboard, pen/pencil, grading stick and pocket calculator will be provided. This course is limited to 30 attendees. Pre-registration is required with payment. Registration will be determined on a first-come, first-serve basis. Registration deadline is October 1, 2015.
 
$650 US - per student

WHERE & WHEN 
October 12-16, 2015 - Morehead, KY
Maysville Community and Technical College (Rowan Campus)

For more information and registration details click on this link.

.
China's Stock Market Impacting North America's Hardwood Market 
In March, The Hardwood Leader was optimistic that 2015 would outpace 2014 totals by 9 - 10% for lumber shipments from North America into China.  As a result of China's economic woes and high inventories, the Hardwood Leader is now predicting totals to be lower in 2015 than they were in 2014, but still should be the second highest on record.
 
"China's reduced growth and stock market concerns may delay its full return to the North American hardwood market, but Chinese leaders will keep the economy churning at a higher growth rate than any other major market. While hardwood lumber shipments to China are off from 2014's record pace-2015 will still be the second-best year ever. This year's Jan-May volumes were 20% higher than in 2013...and 2 to 4 times higher than shipments from 2002-2010.
 
Courtesy of   "Market-In-A-Minute", The Hardwood Leader, August 2015, The Hardwood Leader is a publication of Hardwood Publishing, Inc. www.hardwoodreview.com
 
Look for snippets and short articles from The Hardwood Leader in future issues of the Kentucky Wood Industry E-News Letter.
June 2015 Housing Commentary by
Urs 
Buehlmann and Al Schuler
June housing data was mixed - single-family starts and sales declined. From a wood products context, these are two of the most important indicators. Permits and remodeling remain positive, and existing house sales rebounded month-over-month. However, for most data reported, we must remind ourselves housing remains well below historical averages in most categories.

Obviously, housing generally correlates to the overall economy; with an improving economy we should expect to see most of the housing sectors progress as well. As written in previous months, the near-term outlook on the U.S. housing market remains unchanged - there are potentially several negative macro-factors at this point in time for a robust housing recovery (based on long-term averages).
Why?

1) Lack-luster household formation (though improved in the final quarter of 2014). The bulk of formations were mostly renters - not house buyers;
2) A constrained quantity of well-paying jobs being created;
3) a tepid economy;
4) declining real median annual household incomes;
5) strict home loan lending standards; and
6) global uncertainty.

Click here to read the full report.
Wooden Towers on the Rise
Wooden framed structures have received much attention in the news lately as cities search for sustainable, environmentally friendly, and economically feasible alternatives for building materials. With proper fire systems in place, these wooden framed towers can offer the same safety as concrete and steel at a lower price, while using a renewable resource. Find out more about what role cross laminated timbers are playing in tower production around the world. For more information click on this link.
August 2015
University of Kentucky
Department of Forestry
Contacts You Need: 



Bobby Ammerman,
bammerma@uky.edu


Terry Conners
tconners@uky.edu


Jeff Stringer,

 Quick Links
 


Primary and Secondary Wood Directories

 


Kentucky Forest Industries Association 

 

 
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