Masonry Magazine October 2002 Page. 34
Purchasing Decisions
By Michael J. Gilleran
General Manager
McCausey Lumber Co.
Roseville, Mich.
Laminated Veneer Lumber - Planks for All Seasons
LVL Bilet
SMART PURCHASING DECISIONS ARE CRUCIAL, especially when it relates to worker productivity and job site safety. Our competitive business environment, however, often leads to marketing approaches that can ultimately confuse any prospective buyer.
It is unfortunate that the wood products industry has not made your purchasing activity any easier. In fact, the industry has been somewhat negligent in properly educating you, the contractor, about wood plank, and in particular Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL)-type scaffold boards. To be an informed consumer, it is important for you to understand how this engineered wood plank evolved, how it is manufactured, the product attributes and, of course, the crucial questions to get answered when inquiring to purchase.
From the beginning
During the early '70s, environmental pressures and government regulation began to influence the forestry industry. Manufacturers of wood products were forced to evaluate their utilization of wood fiber and seek ways to optimize production yield. This led to the development of environment-friendly, engineered wood products.
In 1974, Trus Joist Corp., Boise, Idaho, began producing a new type of engineered wood known as Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL), which is, essentially, a modified version of traditional plywood. Shortly thereafter, McCausey Lumber Co., Roseville, Mich., partnered with FinnForest Corp., Metsa, Finland, to develop a version of Laminated Veneer Lumber. Today, there are more than twenty LVL producers worldwide.
For most manufacturers, production is geared to produce LVL wood beams for residential and commercial construction. Yet, a few have focused more toward producing a select grade of LVL that is made with a special veneer grade composition for industrial applications, such as scaffold plank.
Uniquely manufactured
Sawing
Peeling
Clipping
Drying
The process for creating laminated veneer lumber.