North American structural wood panel production (plywood and oriented strand board) totaled a record-setting 40.9 billion square feet (3/8-inch basis) in 2003, up about 186 million feet from 2002. It was the third consecutive year that production exceeded 40 billion feet. Panel consumption exceeded production by 482 million feet, with most of the increased demand coming in the second half of the year. Production and consumption were about equal in 2002.

OSB production increased almost one billion square feet while plywood production declined by approximately 450 million feet. Among other engineered wood products, glulam production rose 2.5 percent to 343.6 million board feet. Wood I-joist output increased almost 10 percent to just over one billion linear feet. And laminated veneer lumber production climbed eight percent to 67.5 million cubic feet.

Complete 2003 production data are contained in the fourth quarter statistics report now posted in the members-only section of the APA web site. The quarterly reports are available to non-members for $90 per year.