SmartLam Is First U.S. CLT Manufacturer to Earn SFI Chain-of-Custody Certification
May 08, 2017, 09:00 ET
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc. (SFI) announced today that SmartLam, LLC, is the first U.S. manufacturer of cross‑laminated timber (CLT) to be certified to the SFI 2015-2019 Chain-of-Custody Standard. SmartLam is also the first manufacturer to produce CLT in the U.S.
SmartLam manufactures CLT for a variety of applications, including floor, roof and wall systems. SFI's Chain-of-Custody Standard helps companies address the growing demand from governments, customers, and consumers for responsibly sourced forest products.
CLT is the next-generation of engineered wood products. Extensively tested and already widely used in Europe, CLT has vast applications for construction, industrial matting and bridging. Architects and builders choose wood because it looks great, has numerous environmental characteristics – including renewability – and it's easy to work with. In addition, trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, sequestering and storing the carbon while producing oxygen which reduces greenhouse gases and improves air quality.
"At SmartLam, we make CLT, but we like to tell our clients what we really sell is time. CLT increases construction speed and reduces a project's cost and carbon footprint. Now, with certification to the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard, we can also offer our clients supply chain assurance that our products are sourced from well-managed forests that are third-party certified to SFI's rigorous standards," said Casey Malmquist, President and General Manager at SmartLam.
SmartLam produces CLT at its Columbia Falls facility in Northwest Montana and is part of a global movement to use wood in tall buildings. Advances in technology are producing more engineered-wood products and mass-timber products that increase the capabilities of building with wood.
A multi-use, multi-level building currently under construction in Whitefish, Montana, will feature an elevator shaft manufactured from SmartLam CLT. The lumber was supplied by F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co., an SFI Program Participant near Columbia Falls, Montana.
"We are excited for SmartLam to be the first CLT manufacturer in the U.S. to be certified to the SFI Chain of Custody Standard. Our chain-of-custody standard is a rigorous environmental accounting system that tracks forest fiber content through production and manufacturing to the end product," said Jason Metnick, Senior Vice President of Customer Affairs at SFI.
SmartLam will also be able to use chain-of-custody certification to position itself as a supplier in the green building market that is officially recognized by green building rating systems. Wood products sold as certified under the SFI Chain-of-Custody Standard allow SmartLam's CLT to earn Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) credits through the LEED Alternative Compliance Path or credits through the Green Globes Rating System.
About the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® Inc.
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) is a sustainability leader that stands for future forests. SFI® is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting forest sustainability and supporting the links between sustainable forests and communities through grant programs, carefully targeted research, direct leadership of critical initiatives, and partnerships that effectively contribute to multiple conservation objectives. Forests certified to the SFI Forest Management Standard cover 285 million acres/115 million hectares. Millions more acres benefit from the SFI Fiber Sourcing Standard. SFI's Forest Management, Fiber Sourcing and Chain of Custody Standards work to ensure the health and future of forests. Through application of these certification standards, SFI's on-product labels help consumers make responsible purchasing decisions. SFI Inc. is governed by an independent three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally. Learn more at sfiprogram.org.
About SmartLam, LLC
SmartLam is proud to be the first manufacturer of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) products in the United States. Located in Columbia Falls in timber-rich Northwest Montana, SmartLam manufactures CLT for use in a variety of applications. Our focus is to develop practical, innovative, and sustainable solutions to satisfy all of our customer's project requirements. The SmartLam team of industry leading professionals is dedicated to producing the finest products and delivering the highest levels of customer service. In addition to CLT solutions, SmartLam offers design, engineering and consulting services.
SOURCE Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.