Search

The article tackles the problem with the use of wood for more sustainable buildings and greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide emissions mitigation. It cites the vulnerability Austrian spruce wood, which was used to manufacture timber beams and panels for the Gaia building at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, to mold and rot that could affect structural integrity. Maintenance suggestions include protective coating, surface treatment with bleach, and installation of dehumidifiers.

The Gaia building at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, made from sustainably harvested timber, is facing a mold problem due to the wood's vulnerability to mold and rot in the tropical climate. While timber is considered a sustainable construction material that sequesters carbon dioxide, the use of spruce in the building has led to mold growth. The mold issue is not unique to Singapore, as different climates present challenges for timber structures. The building's aesthetic value is appreciated, but concerns about health problems caused by the mold have been raised. The school has implemented maintenance plans to address the issue. [Extracted from the article]

Changes to the UK's windfall tax regime for oil and gas companies, announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves, have been criticized by companies and analysts who believe they will hasten the decline of the North Sea. The changes include raising the Energy Profits Levy by three percentage points and ending a 29% investment allowance. The oil and gas industry argues that these additional burdens will negatively impact an already aging oil province, leading to a decline in domestic production. Consultant Wood Mackenzie Ltd. warns that the changes could paralyze investment for five years and potentially result in the premature cessation of production. [Extracted from the article]

Saudi Arabia has decided to halt its plans to increase oil production capacity, a move that has been praised as "astute" by consultants Wood Mackenzie. The decision is seen as a response to rising industry costs and a constrained outlook for oil demand. Wood Mackenzie believes that it no longer makes sense for Saudi Aramco to pursue expensive expansion projects when there are limited opportunities to increase production while prices are under pressure. The kingdom has already reduced its oil output by 25% since last July as part of an agreement with the OPEC+ cartel, and it is predicted that this limit will remain in place for the first half of this year. [Extracted from the article]

Chilean pulp producer Empresas CMPC SA has invested $5.2 million in Strong by Form, a local startup that is developing wood panels as an alternative to concrete and steel in the construction industry. Strong by Form claims that its wood panels are as strong as concrete but only one-tenth of the weight, and they also use fewer trees than other timber products. The company plans to use the investment to further develop its products and establish a production facility. Strong by Form has also mentioned potential partnerships with Deutsche Bahn and the BMW Group, although no details have been provided. [Extracted from the article]

Graphyte, a startup backed by Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has developed a hybrid technology that combines engineering with natural photosynthesis processes to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it underground. The startup takes waste biomass like discarded wood residue or rice hulls, dries and sterilizes it, and then condenses it into dense carbon blocks. These blocks are wrapped in a proprietary polymer barrier and stored underground, preventing the carbon from being re-released. Graphyte aims to provide carbon removal services to corporate buyers, with a levelized cost of production currently under $100 per ton of CO2 removed. [Extracted from the article]

An environmental group, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), has reported that over a million doors sold in the US, including at Home Depot, may contain illegally sourced Central African wood. The wood, called okoume, is believed to have come from Equatorial Guinea but was labeled as originating from the Republic of Congo. The EIA claims that the wood was exported to China, processed in Asia, and then imported by Jeld-Wen Holding Inc., a door manufacturer based in North Carolina. Mis-declaring the origin of timber is a violation of US law. Home Depot and Jeld-Wen have both stated that they take the allegations seriously and are investigating the matter. Okoume is not an endangered species, but it is listed as "vulnerable" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The EIA argues that the use of potentially illegal okoume wood in Home Depot's doors violates the Lacey Act and raises concerns about the destruction of forests in the Congo Basin, which is a crucial carbon sink and a defense against climate change. Equatorial Guinea's government denies any wrongdoing and claims to comply with recommendations regarding timber exports. Home Depot's wood purchasing policy requires certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, but the EIA states that no FSC-certified okoume forests exist in Equatorial Guinea or the Republic of Congo. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Equity markets in India will fall if Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party fails to retain power in national elections due next year, according to Chris Wood, the global head of equity strategy at Jefferies LLC. In May 2004, stock markets in India plunged about 20% in two days after the BJP-led government suffered a surprise defeat in national elections. If the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party faces a surprise defeat in the national polls, as happened in 2004, "then I would expect a 25% correction if not more", Wood said at an industry event organized by the Business Standard newspaper in Mumbai. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- This article is part of the Bloomberg Green series Timber Town, which looks at the global rise of timber as a low-carbon building material. To Vaagen it's proof that America's sawmills and lumberjacks can help head off the forest conflagrations that are becoming ever more common, and at the same time provide raw material for an emerging industry, known as mass timber, that makes sustainable wood building components. "The goal is to reintroduce the forest infrastructure to the places where it's gone in the Intermountain West, like Wyoming, Utah and southern Idaho, and put sawmills, biomass-to-energy and mass timber facilities all integrated to thin out the forests.". [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- BURN, which has made and sold more than four million efficient cook-stoves in Africa, will this month open Nigeria's first factory for the appliances that slash consumption of wood, reducing pollution and deforestation. While the company will initially make wood-stoves, it will add charcoal stoves to the product line once the factory is up and running. The annual sub-Saharan African cooking fuel market has been estimated as being worth $47 billion by the World Bank, with most of that being wood and charcoal. [Extracted from the article]

Sweden's Vattenfall AB is a partner, and Germany's RWE AG signed a letter of intent in March to use Modvion's wooden towers in future projects. (Bloomberg) -- This article is part of the Bloomberg Green series Timber Town, which looks at the global rise of timber as a low-carbon building material. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- This article is part of the Bloomberg Green series Timber Town, which looks at the global rise of timber as a low-carbon building material. It's one example of how Sweden has combined its natural advantages and a long tradition of building wooden houses with concerted efforts to become a global center for modern timber construction. [Extracted from the article]

"It is pointed out that even a majority sale of the shares in Steico SE does not lead to the need for a takeover offer with regard to the remaining shares", the company said in its statement. (Bloomberg) -- Steico SE's controlling shareholder is considering a sale of his stake in the specialist wood-based insulation maker, as demand for ecological construction materials rises. [Extracted from the article]

Any sale would add to $22 billion of announced sales in the building materials sector this year, Bloomberg data show. (Bloomberg) -- Steico SE's majority shareholder is exploring a sale of the specialist wood-based insulation maker, according to people with knowledge of the matter, as demand for ecological construction materials rises. [Extracted from the article]

Mass timber building should - in theory - be more easily monitored than conventional steel or concrete construction because of the way it's fabricated largely off-site, then assembled with pieces that are numbered and trackable using QR codes, much like an Ikea bookshelf. "There's been a real breakdown of trust between the insurance industry and the building industry post-Grenfell, that we are now five years on in the process of rebuilding", says Dominic Lion, who specializes in mass timber building at the insurance broker Gallagher. (Bloomberg) -- This article is part of the Bloomberg Green series Timber Town, which looks at the global rise of timber as a low-carbon building material. [Extracted from the article]

Shares in Wood Group rose as much as 9.5%, the biggest gain in almost a month, and were up 2.5% at 3:21 p.m. in London, valuing the company at about £1.5 billion. Wood Group has been reluctant to grant Apollo further access to its business after saying in March that a fourth offer of £1.64 billion undervalued the company. (Bloomberg) -- Apollo Global Management Inc. has made a final £1.66 billion ($2 billion) offer for John Wood Group Plc, the Scottish engineering company that's already spurned four takeover approaches from the private equity firm. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Apollo Global Management Inc. is weighing a slightly improved offer for John Wood Group Plc to end an impasse that's threatening to derail a takeover of the Scottish engineering company, people with knowledge of the matter said. The private equity firm could increase its last 237 pence-a-share proposal for Wood Group to get the company to engage more in talks about a possible deal, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. Shares in Wood Group rose as much as 9.5%, the biggest gain in almost a month, and were up 6% at 2:41 p.m. in London, valuing the company at £1.5 billion. [Extracted from the article]

The private equity firm could increase its last 237 pence-a-share proposal for Wood Group to get the company to engage more in talks about a possible deal, according to the people, who asked not to be identified discussing confidential information. Wood Group has been reluctant to grant Apollo further access to its business after saying in March that the latest £1.64 billion ($2 billion) offer undervalued the FTSE 250 company. (Bloomberg) -- Apollo Global Management Inc. is weighing a slightly improved offer for John Wood Group Plc to end an impasse that's threatening to derail a takeover of the Scottish engineering company, people with knowledge of the matter said. [Extracted from the article]

From the series: How a Seattle Architect Helped Make Timber Towers Legal in the US Much of the assumed climate benefit of using wood depends on the forest that the wood came from and how it is managed. (Bloomberg) -- In the 1990s, architects and builders in central Europe started experimenting with a novel material. [Extracted from the article]

"The least risky and best places for Chinese companies are probably places they have had success in the past", said Jason Holden, a senior metals and mining analyst at S&P Global Commodity Insights. (Bloomberg) -- Lithium's recent price collapse and the prospect that supply from new mines could accelerate the slump are stoking fierce debate in the electric-car battery industry. [Extracted from the article]

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "Dividends, Less Makes More" in the December 5, 1953 issue, "Wood: Improving on Nature" in the October 31, 1953 issue, and "Where the Office Buildings Are Sprouting Up" in the November 28, 1953 issue.

The article offers information on a new method employed by a subsidary of Rock Island Millwork Co. for making wood out of sawdust.

This article discusses the use of cultured wood by Kroehler Manufacturing Co. to build furniture in the U.S. Kroehler applies Emerite formula in manufacturing cultured wood and uses the wood for core stock in case goods. The furniture maker recognizes the ability of the product to resist denting, moisture and changes of climate.

The article focuses on a manpower shortage and the need for chemical wood facing the hardwood distillation industry in northern Michigan and Wisconsin in 1944. The solution of the U.S. War Manpower Commission to the first issue is placing German war prisoners at work to produce pulpwood and chemical wood. The industry is using display advertisements in newspapers to purchase more chemical wood. The number of hardwood distillation facilities in the Lake states have declined from 16 in 1924 to four in 1944.

Keywords: 7203@JP; ADS@GR; WOOD; ALLTOP; ASIA; ASIATOP; BASIC; BUSINESS; CONS; CONSD; COS; DRG; ECOTOP; ETF; EXE; GEN; GOV; HAR; HEA; INDUSTRIAL; INDUSTRIES; MANU; MARKETS; NORTHAM; STK; TEC; TOP; US; WORLD; WWTOP; WWTOPAM; WWTOPAS; WWTOPEU EN 7203@JP ADS@GR WOOD ALLTOP ASIA ASIATOP BASIC BUSINESS CONS CONSD COS DRG ECOTOP ETF EXE GEN GOV HAR HEA INDUSTRIAL INDUSTRIES MANU MARKETS NORTHAM STK TEC TOP US WORLD WWTOP WWTOPAM WWTOPAS WWTOPEU The pandemic's impact on global trade risks worsening in coming weeks as more factories across Southeast Asia brace for closures amid one of the world's deadliest outbreaks. Factory shutdowns are accelerating in Vietnam, while Thailand is prepping for outbreaks among its manufacturers and the Philippines tightens restrictions in its economic heartland. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- French industrial production unexpectedly declined in April, falling for the third consecutive month on continued weakness in manufacturing amid supply disruptions following the war in Ukraine. In industry in April, a rebound in automotive production was insufficient to offset declines in output of equipment goods, clothing, wood, chemicals, metals, rubbers and plastics. The factory data for the euro area's second-largest economy is another note of caution for the near term outlook after consumer spending also shrunk in April and statistics agency Insee revised down its estimate of economic output in the first quarter to show a contraction. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- The UK Treasury is set to collect record revenue from oil and gas this year, with or without a windfall tax. Read also: UK Oil Windfall Tax Prompts BP to Review Investment Plans "The industry won't like it but it's worth pointing out that no-one -- industry or government -- was anticipating over $100 a barrel Brent in their planning scenarios", said Neivan Boroujerdi, Wood Mackenzie's research director for North Sea upstream. [Extracted from the article]

A Return to Chestnut Wood Five years ago, while conducting research for a book on the history of barrel aging, Gabriel uncovered documents from 19th century cognac producers that included invoices for chestnut barrels. "The most urgent challenge in the case of aging cachaça in native Brazilian wood barrels is that most of the trees used for barrel-aging are endangered at some level", warns Axinte. (Bloomberg) -- If you're a fan of barrel-aged spirit, the value of oak cannot be overstated. [Extracted from the article]

(Bloomberg) -- Vestas Wind Systems A/S bought a minority stake in a Swedish startup that builds turbine towers out of wood. Wooden turbine towers could potentially be used across Vestas's range of turbine offerings, according to Bo Svoldgaard, senior vice president and head of innovation and concepts at Vestas. [Extracted from the article]

The article explores the efforts made to bring the visual grading of lumber used in building up-to-date. The heightened stir over machine stress testing is attributed to several factors that have worked to weaken the grip of visual grading. To have a thinner and stronger board, the lumber is dried to predictable moisture levels. Many lumber experts emphasize that despite these efforts, the industry should turn to other methods that are still more accurate.

The article discusses the establishment of the American Forest Products Industries Inc., an aggrupation of wood-using industries created to resist the use of competitive materials such as steel, copper and aluminum. It cites the organization's advocacy in promoting wood as a building material. It states that the National Lumber Manufacturers' Association (NLMA) is part of the new organization, as well as industry personalities such as John W. Blodgett, Carl L. Hamilton, and W. M. Ritter.

The article discusses the use of plywood for aircraft with 20 plants producing aircraft plywood exclusively. Topics discussed include the doubling of demands for plywood aircraft in 1943 from the 1942 requirements, the problems faced by the industry including the amount of plywood need to satisfy aviation needs and the difficulty of getting workers with sufficient wood background and the wood's advantage of being cheaper than metal aircraft.

The article reports on the gravity clay line project in the Arkansas River to the Mississippi River and in the Red River Valley to the junction of Mississippi. It states that the project is to transport oil in a pressure pipeline with the use of clay, carrying more oil and reduces friction. It also describes the advantages and disadvantages on the usage of clay, glass, wood, and steel pipes for carrying oil.

The article discusses the 'semi-chemical' papermaking process for pulping wood. Dubbed as the sixth process of papermaking, the process steers a middle course between the cooking process and the grinding process while at the same time succeeding in retaining most of the wood constituents but greatly reducing the length of the fibers. The details as well as the advantages of utilizing the process are elaborated. Data on the U.S. paper production by thousands of ton are also presented.

The article discusses the growing uses of wood in the U.S. in light of austerity measures as of April 1942. It states about 32.6 billion board feet of wood were cut in 1941, 72.8% of which went to the military, and that 35 billion will be made available in the current one. In light of a shortage in metals and other materials, the War Production Board (WPB) recommends wood as a replacement, as it can be used in a variety of ways. New uses cited include the creation of a wooden hangar by Northwest Airlines, the development of a wooden plane and others.

The article reports on the renewed effort to prevent use of the word mahogany for Philippine wood. The Mahogany Association, the American Walnut Association, and the Hardwood Manufacturers' Institute petitioned the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that the trade term "Philippine mahogany" is deceptive. They contended that the Gillespie case has overruled every argument that would favor the Philippine mahogany interests.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "What ails the mutual fund industry" in the March 3, 1973 issue, "People management," by Don Martin in the March 3, 1973 issue and "A high price for exporting logs" in the February 17, 1973 issue.

The article examines the lumber market as of the third quarter of 1948. Wholesale lumber index went up from 313.3 to 316.7 in July 1948, although some market indicators reveal that the boom has seen its peak. Retail yard inventories climbed from 1.7 billion board feet to 4.7 billion as buyers become more choosy and cheaper grade wood prices weaken. On the bright side, demand from the housing sector is expected to keep things from slipping too far at least until 1950.

The article looks at the Puget Sound Pulp & Timber Company's production of industrial alcohol from sulphite liquor, a waste material in the reduction of timber to wood pulp. It reports that the company produces about 7,000 gallons of 190-proof alcohol daily. Sulphite liquor alcohol production is traced to Sweden, which has 34 plants whose turnout in 1945 was 15,000,000 gallons. The Puget Sound plant's future is seen to rest on its production costs, said to be a carefully guarded secret, and on the company's ability to find new outlets for its products.

The article evaluates the Staypak wood from the U.S.. Forest Products Laboratory

The article focuses on the preparation of the resumption of civilian production with the multitudes of new manufacturing materials and processes in the U.S. which had been inspired or improved by the war in 1945. It mentions that manufacturers and wholesalers are facing difficult decisions with the issue particularly with processes involving metals, plastics and wood. It notes the importance of high-frequency (HF) electricity not only in television and radio but also for metals and plastics.

The article reports on the methylolurea process of Du Pont that chemically treats any lumber, veneer or plywood to become what it termed as transmuted wood. The process consists of wood impregnation with a water solution of methylolurea, which is a mixture of urea and dimethylolurea. Methylolurea polymerizes with components in the wood's cell walls to create hard, water-insoluble, unmeltable resins.

The article discusses the impending paper shortage in 1944. While the combined requirements of the U.S., Canada and England are expected to exceed by seven percent the 1943 figures, a shortage in production by 27 percent, is anticipated. A Combined Pulp & Paper Committee of the three countries was formed to investigate and report on paper. The paper crisis is attributed to the shortage of woods labor for felling trees, cutting to length, stacking of corkwood, and hauling to market.

(Bloomberg) -- As economies struggle to recover in the pandemic and U.S.-China tensions flare, investors piling into precious metals may be overlooking another potential haven: wood. To be sure, lumber trades at much lower volume than gold and other metals and is prone to wild price swings. [Extracted from the article]

Reports on the development of genetic technologies that can identify superior trees in the seedling state. How demand for hardwood trees has outpaced growth of the trees; Use of bud cuttings to choose the best trees and use them as parent trees for future hardwood generations.

Mass timber design can achieve a 15 percent reduction in operational costs compared to the baseline, and results in a significant reduction in carbon emissions during operations, according to a November Seattle mass timber tower case study by design firm DLR Group. Similarly, Canada's National Research Council is working on changes to its 2020 building code to allow mass timber construction up to 12 stories, said Philip Rizcallah, program director of the agency's construction research center. The nation is already seeing C$1 billion ($750 million) spent on mass timber construction every year and there are already 200 mass timber projects over six stories in the queue in British Columbia ready for construction once the changes are approved, he said. [Extracted from the article]

Reports that Pennsylvania State University professor of civil engineering, Ralph R. Mozingo is promoting the use of wood in the construction of bridges. Advantages of wood over steel; Pennsylvania's funding of the cost of building test bridges using wood; Design of the timber bridges.

This article discusses the situation for paper and paperboard mills in the U.S. as of January 1989. For two years paper demand has outstripped supply and prices have soared. The low dollar has boosted exports of paper and wood and even Canadian lumber imports, a menace for the past decade, are not so worrisome anymore. Paper manufacturers upped capital spending last year by 28%, to $11.4 billion. By 1990 it could hit $14 billion, creating some overcapacity. Strong paper markets, offsetting weakening demand for wood, drove industry profits up 44%, to a record $14 billion in 1988. They could go up 5% more this year. Paper exports, which jumped by 10% in 1987 and 6% in 1988, should grow again. The average price of paper products, up 14.5% last may rise 6% in 1989. The outlook is brightest for bleached paperboard, the kind used for aseptic packaging of foods and beverages. Newsprint is suddenly weaker. Its average price jumped 10% in 1988, to $635 a metric ton. But discounting started late last year as consumption dropped because of cutbacks in financial and retail advertising. Moreover, an expected 9% increase in new capacity over the next two years is stimulating aggressive sales approaches, says John B. Fery, chairman of Boise Cascade Corp. Production of lumber and wood paneling slumped 4% in 1988 and could slide 3% more this year, producers say.