In 1995, the MSR Workshop was born out of one man’s commitment to fulfilling what he saw as a real need to bring together those who produce MSR lumber, those who sell MSR lumber, and those who use MSR lumber, in order to develop a better understanding of each other’s challenges and share ideas to improve the supply chain. Thirty years later, as the MSR Lumber Producers Council prepares to welcome attendees to its 23rd Workshop, we are grateful for the vision of past leaders and the hard work of current members for continuing to plan this high-quality event.
The 2025 MSR Workshop will be held April 30 – May 2 at the Coeur D’Alene Golf & Spa Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Participants will kick off the event with a golf outing, followed by educational and networking opportunities that include a tour of Mercer Mass Timber in Spokane Valley, Washington, and a sunset dinner cruise on shimmering Lake Coeur d’Alene.
“The last few years I have been on a mission to learn the lumber industry from all different levels and views,” says Adam DeBiasio of United Lumber Home Hardware Building Center, who attended his first Workshop last year in Charlotte. “I attended on the recommendation of a lumber supplier and the entire experience was valuable to me. I learned a lot – from the different presenters to the plant tour and just speaking with other participants.”
The Workshop committee has once again gathered a variety of knowledgeable speakers from across the supply chain to cover a range of important topics:
Data at the Heart of Sustainability Leadership: AWC’s Sustainability Efforts
This session highlights the American Wood Council’s initiatives that promote wood carbon data collection and report, accounting for biogenic carbon in wood products, and the strategic use of wood products to decarbonize the built environment, showcasing their role in shaping a greener future for the industry at large. Rachael Jamison, who has served as AWC’s Vice President of Markets and Sustainability since 2021, will look specifically at the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) program for solid sawn wood and provide an overview of the data collected and how the EPDs are created and used.
Understanding European Lumber Markets & Imports to the U.S.
Get up to speed on the current state of the softwood lumber markets in Europe, including production levels and imports into the U.S., with Frank Turnbull from Mercer Timber Products. He will also look at how the war between Russia and Ukraine has affected the European lumber markets and what the future might hold for the U.S. market.
Sustainable Forest Practices for MSR Lumber Production
Duane Vaagen from Vaagen Bros. Lumber will examine how sustainable forestry techniques, such as selective logging and forest thinning, support both environmental health and the production of high-quality MSR lumber. He will discuss why small logs make better lumber, strategies for timber sales with MSR lumber in mind, and how product-focused logging practices contribute to the viability and efficiency of lumber mills.
Driving a Fundamental Shift in the Built Environment
WoodWorks, a non-profit organization that provides free project support, education, and resources related to wood design solutions of commercial and multi-family wood buildings, is actively initiating a significant and transformative change in the way buildings are designed and constructed. Senior Director Janelle Leafblad will explore the way in which she and her team accomplish this on a regional level as well as driving scale in the national marketplace.
Analyzing Trends in the 2024 MSR Production Survey
Take a deep dive into the most recent MSR Production Survey with Crystal Gauvin from Forest Economic Advisors (FEA). Since the MSR Lumber Producers Council (MSRLPC) began tracking data in 1994, this annual production survey has become a valuable tool for both monitoring the progress of the industry in North America and promoting the use of MSR lumber worldwide.
North American Macro, Housing & Lumber Markets: Where Do We Go From Here?
FEA’s Crystal Gauvin will help you gain a clear understanding of the U.S. economic outlook and its impact on the wood products industry. She will provide answers to questions about where the U.S. economy is headed and how residential construction markers will fare, so that you can better anticipate the effects of inflation, interest rate fluctuations, and housing market trends. In addition, Crystal will explore the future of lumber production in Canada and how timber supply constraints across North America could impact lumber markets in the year ahead.
Workshop Roundtable: Recapping the Relevant
Led by Dan Uskoski of Metriguard Technologies, this roundtable is a great way to revisit and ask questions about the valuable content from other sessions so you can depart with a plan to integrate it into your business plans.
In addition to the educational sessions, participants in the 2025 MSR Workshop will tour Mercer Mass Timber (MMT) in Spokane Valley, WA, which commenced production in August 2021. MMT produces cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (GLT) for the North American market at its three plants in Washington, Arkansas, and British Columbia. The roughly two-hour tour of this state-of-the-art facility generally follows the product’s flow through the factory, starting on the front end of the mill at the transverse high grader and sort bins, making its way through the production flow process, and finishing out at the post-CNC finished CLT panels/quality assurance lab. Attendees will enjoy a look at a variety of robust automation technology throughout the operation as well as one of the world’s largest CLT presses.
Last year, attendees traveled from as far as Sweden to participate. Mats Wedell from LIMAB AB in Göteborg, Sweden, says he attended the MSR Workshop “to learn more about the trend and need for MSR in North America.” He says he appreciated meeting so many experienced industry professionals and “valued the open and interesting discussions.” He and a colleague from LIMAB plan to travel to this year’s Workshop in Idaho to enjoy more learning and networking opportunities.
Full details and registration information are available on the MSRLPC website. The Early Bird Deadline is March 15, so register today and SAVE! To see a list of MSRLPC members or to join, please visit our website.