IWPA hands out annual awards

The International Wood Products Association announced the winners of the 2012 IWPA Excellence Award winners on the opening day of it 56th annual convention, which was held March 28-30 in Indian Wells, Calif.

“This awards program recognizes the innovation, environmental stewardship and best in corporate social responsibility conducted globally by IWPA members. We are constantly humbled by the submissions annually received for this program and welcome the opportunity to recognize these companies for some outstanding achievements,” trade group president Alan McIlvain Jr. said in a statement.

UCS Forest Group won for environment excellence for distribution of Urufor's red grandis (hardwood species), cited as an “almost perfect example of how to create and manage a forest ecosystem with a sustainably grown product,” according to the IWPA.

Columbia Forest Products was the innovative design winner for its PureBond formaldehyde-free assembly technology, which uses soy protein, water and a wet strength resin commonly used in the paper industry to produce hardwood plywood.

Interwood Forest Products was the aesthetic design winner for incorporating multiple exotic species in the world's tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, in the United Arab Emirates.

For information, visit www.ucsforestgroup.com.