Solid wood supply impediments for secondary wood producers in British Columbia

Abstract

Many nations are attempting to strengthen the development of secondary wood manufacturing in an attempt to cope with job losses due to declining annual allowable cut levels, increasing global competition and decreasing prices of commodity lumber products. This paper describes the results of a survey conducted in the province of British Columbia aimed at uncovering the impediments to wood supply relationships between secondary and primary manufacturers. The study looks at the raw material needs of different categories of secondary manufacturers pertaining to wood quality, price and service and highlights similarities and differences between these groups. In general, the study found that the majority of secondary manufacturers are experiencing lumber procurement problems. Lumber grading issues are the biggest overall concern of manufacturers, and manufacturers of engineering building components were found to experience the most difficulties. The paper concludes with a discussion and recommendations to improve synergies between primary and secondary wood producers in British Columbia. Key words: value-added wood products, wood quality, supply chain management, customer-oriented manufacturing