Alberta wood industry recorded significant growth in 2013

CALGARY (Scrap Monster): The latest statistics released by the Alberta Forest Products Association (AFPA) indicate that the value of lumber, paper, pulp and panelboard manufactured by its members totaled $2.7 billion during the entire year 2013, jumping higher by 14% over the previous year.

According to AFPA, the increased output is the result of huge investments made by its members during the previous years. Earlier, AFPA members had vowed to make $1.5 billion in improvements to its facilities across Alberta over the five-year period from 2011 to 2015. The acquisition of Edson Forest Products by Fraser Products towards end-2012 has also added to the value of wood products from the region.

In 2013, AFPA member companies produced 3.2 billion board feet of lumber, 7.6% higher when compared with the production during 2012. The value of lumber products was up 29% year-on-year to $1.2 billion.

Also, the production of panelboard products totaled 1.1 billion square feet, 1.6% higher when compared with the output during the previous year. The value of products grew 24% over the year to $362 million in 2013.

The paper and pulp production were down 2% from 2012 to 1.5 million metric tonnes, but the value of products recorded a growth of 4.6% over the year to $1.1 billion during the year.