2006 Media Releases & Alerts
NAHB Research Center Certified OSB Now In Production
Research Center Certified OSB Products Enter Marketplace from Select
Weyerhaeuser Mills
February 9, 2006, Upper Marlboro, Md. — The NAHB Research Center today
announced that wood products industry leader Weyerhaeuser has begun
distribution of oriented strand board (OSB) products certified through the
Research Center’s new third-party OSB product and quality management
certification program. Officially launched at the 2006 International Builders’
Show, the program is designed to satisfy building code and product standards
for third-party oversight of OSB manufacturers’ product quality. The Research
Center licenses its certified product mark to participating OSB manufacturers
who have developed, implemented, and maintained a Quality Management System
(QMS) based on ISO 9001-2000 standards as verified by periodic quality system
audits, as well as product testing by the Research Center’s laboratory. As the
program’s first participating manufacturer,Weyerhaeuser is producing NAHB
Research Center Certified OSB product in select mills across the country.
The Research Center is a recognized and trusted name in product testing and
certification, with over 40 years of specialized experience and an unrivaled
depth of understanding of the home building industry. Under this new
certification program, the Research Center provides third-party quality
assurance services for Weyerhaeuser’s Structurwood mills in Sutton, W.Va.;
Grayling, Mich.; Elkin, N.C.; and Arcadia, La. Through periodic auditing,
inspection, and testing, the Research Center’s IAS-accredited laboratory
verifies that these mills produce product that is compliant to Voluntary
Product Standard PS2-04 Performance Standard for Wood-Based Structural-Use
Panels and meets the requirements of HUD UM40c. Customers purchasing
Structurwood panels will continue to receive the same high-quality products,
now grade stamped with the "NAHB Research Center Certified" mark.
NAHB Research Center president Michael Luzier said, "We’re excited about
bringing this new program to the market and expanding our ability to provide
the residential construction industry with solutions that optimize performance,
reduce product failures, and improve quality and customer satisfaction. When
builders see our certified mark, they recognize and trust our name, and are
confident they’re making a product selection that meets or exceeds the
prescribed industry standard."
The OSB certification is available to all manufacturers that meet program
requirements. Manufacturers seeking certification must participate in formal
QMS auditing to ISO 9001-2000 standard as well as product testing to ensure the
product meets or exceeds recognized industry standards and applicable customer
requirements. Continuous improvement is essential to improving customer
satisfaction and a key component of all Research Center certification programs.
The NAHB Research Center Certified mark is a symbol of a company’s ongoing
commitment to continual process improvement and customer satisfaction, and
product code compliance. The Research Center does not provide product
endorsements, or a guarantee of a product’s performance. Quality-focused OSB
manufacturers interested in starting on the path to certification can visit
www.nahbrc.org/osb , call Bob Hill, director of laboratory and
certification programs at (800) 638-8556 ext. 6244, or
contact us via email.
02/06
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