Strategic Plan: Update and Progress Toward Four Goals

Three years ago, the APA Board of Trustees completed a review and update of the Association’s Strategic Plan and re-affirmed four strategic goals. In the 2016 program year, APA staff and members worked together to execute these goals:

Goal 2: Protect and grow wood product share in major end-use markets.

APA’s Strategic Plan calls for protection of wood product share in all major end-use markets, with an emphasis on residential wall sheathing and multifamily construction. It also defines strategies for growing share in end-use markets where economically feasible volume opportunities exist. In the residential, nonresidential, industrial, and international markets APA brings an integrated approach that blends technical expertise and market research with carefully tailored technical education and promotional activities.

Residential

Maintained market share of wood structural panel wall sheathing in the face of significant threats from energy codes.

• Through the work of the Coalition for Fair Energy Codes (CFEC), gained support for the use of structural wood products in performance-based systems in the 2018 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC).
• Evaluated performance of building materials and published a damage assessment report detailing the effects of tornadoes that struck Garland and Rowlett, Texas in 2015. High wind design recommendations were promoted throughout 2016.
• Continued to promote continuous wood structural panel wall sheathing and wall bracing through education, the web-based wall bracing calculator, publications, and publicity.

Worked to increase growth of engineered wood floor systems through seminars on engineered wood beams and education focused on code-compliant fire protective assemblies for lightweight floors.

Implemented tools and strategies to reduce callbacks and claims due to improper specification and application of all member products and the construction systems in which they are used. Activities included a six-module back-to-basics webinar series on engineered wood products, and presentations to numerous home builder groups. Nearly 1,000 attendees participated in the live webinars, and 3,200 have viewed the recorded webinars.

Applied market research to understand opportunities and threats to member products used in the residential market, with an emphasis on residential repair and remodeling. The research was last updated in 2006.

Nonresidential

Created collaborative marketing and technical development activities with WoodWorks and other wood products organizations and associations, including the Structural Roof Erectors Association, and the International Code Council Ad Hoc Committee on Tall Wood Buildings. APA exhibited and provided speakers for four WoodWorks Wood Solutions Fairs. Topics included resisting lateral loads using force transfer around openings and the commercial energy codes.

Worked to expand use of wood framed construction in low-rise nonresidential buildings, including schools, retail, office and multifamily mixed-use structures. The Designers Circle program promoted advertising, publicity, a dedicated website, and participation in Building Design & Construction’s 40 Under 40 Leadership Summit. Webinars and lunch-and-learn programs were also presented.

Monitored current market issues and interests and act on opportunities to retain existing wood product use or to advocate for expanded use of wood products. Sound transmission tests were conducted to support development of design recommendations for floor assemblies that use thicker floor sheathing.

Industrial

Identified opportunities for increased wood structural panel use by updating APA’s 2005 Industrial Market study, with a focus in 2016 on the non-upholstered furniture and cabinet segments.

Promoted the use of structural panels in industrial applications to manufacturers, decision makers and specifiers through APA’s industrial website, PerformancePanels.com. In 2016, the site drew 47,621 unique user sessions, an increase of 10 percent over the previous year.

Leveraged and promoted the known quality, performance and green attributes of APA member products over competitive products through digital advertising, publicity, and publications.

Promoted the use of wood structural panels in concrete formwork and generated awareness for engineered wood products in concrete form framework, through advertising, publicity, web promotion, and participation in the World of Concrete tradeshow.

Supporting Programs

Communicated positive messages about the advantages of designing and building with wood through online education, webinars, and online videos.

Protected and advanced the use of engineered wood products with code and regulatory officials. APA staff presented wall system seminars in 15 states, participated in 20 code, standards, material testing, and engineering design committees.

Provided product and design information, member information, and electronic updates through the association’s websites and emerging electronic media. Traffic to APA’s family of five websites and five subsites drew 608,918 user sessions and over 2 million page views in 2016.

Increased communication about key programs and design recommendations through publicity and outreach to the trade media, with more than 65 editorial placements.

Maintained, updated, and distributed publications and newsletters that support the use of APA trademarked products. A total of 225,162 publications were downloaded from the website.

International Market Access and Development

Supported with outside funding totaling $1,911,000 for the 2016 program year, APA’s international program worked to maximize export volumes of glued North American structural wood products through the elimination of technical barriers to trade and targeted promotion to prioritized market segments.

Strategic and funding partners include: USDA Foreign Agricultural Service; National Resources Canada; B.C. Forestry Innovation Investment, Ltd.; Softwood Export Council; Southern Pine Council; American Hardwood Export Council; Council of Forest Industries; Coast Forest Products Association; BC Wood Group; Quebec Wood Export Bureau; and, Forest Products Association of Canada.

In 2016, APA completed 61 APA promotional and technical activities in 20 countries with involvement and support from 13 APA member companies and agents. This work included 23 days of seminars, 93 days of promotion at 31 tradeshows and 59 days of trade servicing for a total of 175 days of promotional activities in languages ranging from Japanese and Korean to Chinese and Spanish.

APA engineers, wood scientists, and overseas representatives continue to play a vital role in securing market access to minimize international trade barriers. They also work to ensure that other countries harmonize their products standards and building codes as close as possible to those of North America. Separately, APA continues to conduct mill certification and quality assurance work for APA members exporting to Japan, the European Union and Australia.

The association is monitoring market access issues globally, including Korea, where the industry continues to pursue three World Trade Organization (WTO) challenges related to glulam, plywood and OSB standards. APA works with consultants to carry out targeted programs in:

• Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean
• Japan
• China and Taiwan
• Developing markets in Australia, South Korea, Greater Europe, and other markets

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