Press Releases

Greensboro, NC – Columbia Forest Products announces a milestone – the production of its 25 millionth hardwood plywood panel featuring its innovative, soy-based, formaldehyde-free PureBond technology.

The company has converted its seven hardwood plywood plants to formaldehyde-free manufacturing processes, using a patented technology cooperatively developed by Columbia, the College of Forestry at Oregon State University and Hercules Incorporated. Hercules has awarded Columbia a license to utilize its patented adhesive system on an exclusive basis for all of Columbia’s North American decorative panel markets. The process was awarded a Presidential Green Chemistry prize in 2007 for the United States EPA (Environmental Protection Agency).

Urea formaldehyde (UF) is used in the majority of hardwood plywood and composite panels and has been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), part of the World Health Organization, as “carcinogenic to humans.” Currently there are few no-added-urea-formaldehyde (NAUF) alternatives to UF-based adhesives on the market, and all are significantly higher in cost.

“PureBond panels are cost-competitive with urea formaldehyde-manufactured plywood, and they offer better moisture resistance,” Columbia CEO Brad Thompson said. “This is good news for our employees, our customers and our end users. We’ve worked for several years to develop a resin that would allow us to do away with formaldehyde, while achieving a better level of performance, and PureBond is the winning recipe.

“It’s especially rewarding when we look back and consider that over 25 million of these PureBond panels are now in the marketplace – being used across North America in people’s cabinets, furniture and fixtures – instead of the standard formaldehyde alternative,” Thompson said.

In April of 2007, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) passed what the Los Angeles Times said were “the world's toughest controls on toxic formaldehyde in wood products widely used in kitchen cabinets, countertops and other construction.” These regulations will begin to be phased in starting January 2009. This means that any company that manufactures or ships manufactured wood products into California, will have to comply with these restricted formaldehyde emission limits. Columbia’s PureBond veneer-core hardwood plywood panels have no added urea formaldehyde and are CARB Phase 2 compliant already.

Founded in 1957, Columbia Forest Products is North America’s largest manufacturer of hardwood plywood and hardwood veneer. The company also markets and produces engineered and solid wood flooring products. Columbia’s decorative interior veneers and panels are used in cabinetry, furniture, architectural millwork and commercial fixtures. Employee-owned and based in Greensboro, North Carolina, Columbia employs more than 2,500 and operates facilities in locations throughout the United States and Canada, and an operational network which spans the globe.

For more information, visit www.columbiaforestproducts.com