USNR Acquires Ventek
Officials with major panel industry vendor USNR have announced the acquisition of Ventek, Inc., an industry leader in veneer scanning, grading and handling systems for the plywood industry.
Based in Eugene, Ore., Ventek has designed and built vision-based and moisture-based grading solutions for veneer since the company was founded in 1991. From the very start, Ventek developed a reputation for having some of the best technology in the industry, and for many years the company has been the go-to choice for veneer scanning and grading solutions. Building on its expertise, Ventek formed an internal group to design and build green and dry veneer handling systems, and the group’s patented multi-point diverter is now the flagship product of Ventek’s veneer handling product catalog.
Chris Blomquist, USNR Senior Vice President for Sales and Engineering, commented, “Our customers on the lumber side of our business have long recognized the value of tightly integrated mechanical and optimization technology. With the addition of Ventek’s veneer scanning, grading, and handling solutions to USNR’s lathe, dryer, and downstream product portfolio, we now have an opportunity to bring this integration benefit to our customers on the plywood side of our business as well.”
Rodger Van Voorhis, formerly President of Ventek and one of its founders who has now joined USNR as Director of Sales for Veneer Systems, added, “I am thrilled to join the USNR team, and I am excited to see what we can do with our veneer scanning, grading, and handling products as part of a larger organization. I think there are going to be a lot of great opportunities to learn from each other—such as taking our plywood technology and applying it to lumber grading, and vice versa.”
“I am tremendously pleased that Rodger and the rest of the Ventek team have decided to join USNR to help us build the next generation of products for the plywood industry,” commented Alan Knokey, Vice President responsible for USNR’s plywood and panel business. “The people—the engineers, service technicians and guys who actually build the systems and everyone who supports them—they are the most important part of this transaction.”
RELATED ARTICLES
GRUEN-WALD LAMINATES ORDERS USNR RF TECHNOLOGY
Latest News
Panel Producers Make Key Hires
Roseburg has named Lorraine Russ as Director of Structural and Specialty Panels, a newly created role in which she will lead the company’s commercial efforts for softwood and hardwood plywood. Russ comes to Roseburg with a solid depth of leadership experience in strategic sales planning, product innovation and commercialization, and marketing after more than a decade in the building products industry….
TP&EE Sets 2024 Show Dates
Hatton-Brown Expositions LLC announces that the next Timber Processing and Energy Expo (TP&EE) will be held September 25-27, 2024 at the Portland Exposition Center in Portland, Ore. The 2024 show will be the sixth biennial TP&EE to be produced since 2012 by Hatton-Brown Expositions, LLC, an affiliate of Hatton-Brown Publishers, Inc. and of Timber Processing, Panel World and Wood Bioenergy magazines. All of the TP&EEs have been held at the Portland Exposition Center. (The 2020 event was canceled due to…
Roseburg Announces Massive Investment
In a much-anticipated announcement, Roseburg Forest Products revealed in last week its plan to invest $700 million during the next four years to upgrade and expand its manufacturing operations in southern Oregon, including the construction of a MDF facility in Dillard, current site of multiple operations and where the company was founded nearly 90 years ago. The total investment package includes the creation of two new manufacturing plants, and technological improvements and upgrades at existing plants in rural Douglas and Coos counties…
LP Adds New VPs
LP Building Solutions (LP) has announced that Libby Berman has been named Vice President, Chief Tax Officer and Bob Hopkins has been named Vice President, Treasurer. “Bob and Libby have been invaluable contributors to the LP team for many years now,” says LP Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Alan Haughie…
Find Us On Social
Newsletter
The monthly Panel World Industry Newsletter reaches over 3,000 who represent primary panel production operations.
Subscribe/Renew
Panel World is delivered six times per year to North American and international professionals, who represent primary panel production operations. Subscriptions are FREE to qualified individuals.
Advertise
Complete the online form so we can direct you to the appropriate Sales Representative. Contact us today!