US OSB manufacturers are predicting a 10% rise in output this year compared to 2002, a biennial survey conducted by industry newsletter Random Lengths International has found.
The bullish expectations are despite production cutbacks during the first six months of 2003. Canadian companies are also upbeat, predicting OSB output to go up by about 9%.
The survey discovered some companies are trying to move from commodity markets into specialties while others are working to lower costs through improved productivity.
But concerns about finding enough customers have disappeared since OSB prices started soaring in late May.
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation was the biggest OSB producer during 2002, with its 16 plants manufacturing 5.2 billion ft2. Weyerhaeuser was next in line with its 10 mills making 4 billion ft2.
