U.S. containerized exports rose 9.6% in February in year-over-year figures, with the total February volume estimated at 1,014,176 TEUs Strong gains in building materials, paper and paperboard, and refrigerated foods were helped by the depreciation of the U.S. dollar, according to an analysis by The Journal of Commerce/PIERS.

In terms of TEUs, paper and paperboard showed the greatest gains, but building materials grew by 280%  over January 2012.  

The Washington, D.C.-based Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) forest certification program is inviting applications for its Conservation and Community Partnerships Grants program. 

The program is now in its third year and continues to support research and outreach on responsible forestry.

The National Housing Endowment has announced 10 of the 25 Habitat for Humanity homes will be certified to the ANSI/ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard, thanks to a community grant from Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

ForestEthics, a hard-hitting environmental group that is running a campaign to protect endangered forests, has kept the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) organization in its crosshairs for the last several years. The forest industry’s largest certification program for wood products even has its own tab on the ForestEthics Web page: Viewers can click on “Stop SFI GreenWash” and read a critique of the group’s certification process, its membership, its nonprofit status and even its logo.


ProBuild Holdings announced that 59 of its facilities nationwide have received Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Chain of Custody Certification. This certification enables these locations to sell FSC-certified materials. 

RISI, a leading provider of information about the forest products industry, has announced the appointment of Wade Camp as senior wood products economist. Camp comes to RISI from the Southeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association, where he held the title of director of economic services. 

Camp's career spans three decades and multiple roles from production to economic modeling, working for companies and associations such as International Paper, Georgia-Pacific and the Southern Forest Products Association. 

Pro dealers will soon be seeing an Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Certified Fiber Sourcing label on iLevel by Weyerhauser lumber products.