Murphy Co. Puts Foster Veneer Mill In Motion

Article by Dan Shell, Senior Editor, Panel World

FOSTER, Oregon – Smart investments and key upgrades have Murphy Company’s veneer plant producing better quality veneer, more efficiently. The facility is a key regional producer and merchandiser of laminated veneer lumber (LVL) and plywood veneers. The Foster Veneer mill supplies Murphy plywood and LVL manufacturing facilities and other regional EWP producers as a major source of strength-graded veneer.

Acquired in late 2017 from Weyerhaeuser, the plant is a complementary fit to Murphy Company’s vertically integrated manufacturing facilities. The six facilities include three veneer mills supporting a LVL plant and two plywood mills producing a full complement of hardwood and softwood plywood. According to Mike Don, Murphy General Manager, Veneer Operations, the Foster plant is strategically located in the heart of the greater West Coast veneer market that stretches from northern California to British Columbia.

The key component of the business plan for Foster Veneer is to function as a major regional veneer merchandising operation, Don says. “Out peeling and drying operations are targeted to supply the engineered wood products industry, while at the same time merchandising each piece of veneer to its highest end value.”

He adds that while the facility has a range of capabilities, and produces a variety of veneers, the focus is primarily Douglas fir 1/8 in. LVL-quality, strength-graded veneer. As an added bonus, the wood basket for their operation is on the west slope of the Cascades, known for its high-strength Douglas fir resource.

According to Don, the plant has received significant investment since being acquired by Murphy. These investments have not necessarily been changes to the process, but rather in upgrading the existing equipment and making sure it functions to its full potential. “The story here is more about sticking with the fundamentals, getting everything up to operating order, and optimizing the performance of what we have,” he says.