Pacific Wood Preserving of Oregon (PWPO) has acquired one of the largest wood treating plants on the US west coast.
The company bought the wood treating assets of bankrupt Taylor Lumber and Treating at Sheridan. It plans to convert the facility from treating utility poles into a plant specialising in environmentally friendly treated wood products, including transmission and distribution poles and timber.
PWPO hopes to benefit from the recent agreement between CCA manufacturers and the Environmental Protection Agency to limit CCA to industrial uses after December 31, 2003. With about 70% of CCA treated wood used in residential settings, it sees a large void for ‘green’ wood treaters to fill.
Products treated with low-environmental impact wood preservatives to be produced at Sheridan include Pac Bor lumber and plywood for indoor use, ACQ Preserve for ground contact uses and Dri-con fire retardant and Advance Guard for interior framing of residential construction.
The company, which claims to be the largest treater of low-environmental impact wood preservatives in the US, hopes to target the Pacific Northwest market, where it says such products are not widely sold.
