Woodworking Industry News
By Robert Dalheim
December 02, 2020
MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Texas Cross Laminated Timber says it has been certified by Timber Products to build cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels at its facility in Magnolia, Arkansas. Timber Products is the largest wood product certification agency accredited under the American Lumber Standard Committee.
Texas Cross Laminated Timber specializes in CLT (of course) but also makes wooden mats and building panels from yellow pine.
“Forest landowners and producers are very excited to see the growth of mass timber buildings in the U.S.,” says Rob Hughes, Executive Director of Texas Forestry Association “As our culture learns the intrinsic relationship between healthy forests and our climate, these engineered wood products will provide new avenues that promote sustainable forest management. CLT panels use common dimensional lumber in greater volumes as structural members of large commercial buildings. This greatly expands the markets for local forests and the lumber they produce.”
CLT is a prefabricated panel of wooden boards fastened together perpendicularly to one another, with structural adhesives. It is being hailed by environmentalists and many engineered wood firms have added it to their product lineups, as CLT buildings are faster to construct, more energy efficient, and are comprised completely of renewable materials.
“Southern yellow pine cross laminated timber is key to the rapid growth of mass timber buildings in the U.S.,” says Clemson University wood specialist Pat Layton.
Texas CLT uses locally-sourced American-grown timber for all of its products. In 2019, the company expanded its operations into a long vacant former Texas plywood mill, adding 60 jobs. The plant can manufacture panels up to 11.75″ thick – up to 102″ wide and up to 42′ long.