BOARD
& TEAM
FINANCIALS
MASS TIMBER
COMPETITION
FEATURED
PROJECTS
OPPORTUNITIES
SLB
STRATEGY
ACCELERATOR
CITIES
PROGRAM
HIGHLIGHTS
SLB
HIGHLIGHTS
LETTERS
to Mainstream
2025 HIGHLIGHTS
62 MILLION
SQUARE FEET
OF EDUCATION
investments since 2012.
in programs leverages
from SLB investments is
LIGHT-FRAME
& MASS TIMBER
47 MM BF
16 BF/sq. ft.
179 MM BF
12 BF/sq. ft.
354 MM BF
8 BF/sq. ft.
build with wood
meaningful Think Wood campaign activities.
"Since I first joined the board, I've been amazed by the industry knowledge and skills that the SLB staff brings to the table. They have a clear understanding of market trends and a strategy on where the industry’s investments can be the most impactful. That expertise stands out by
the results."
Jérôme Pelletier
J.D. Irving Ltd., Vice President;
2025 SLB First Vice Chair, SLB Board of Directors
at 291 schools cultivating future design professionals more comfortable specifying wood.
Letters Reflecting on 2025
Expanding lumber markets is essential to the industry’s growth in any economic climate. In softer demand cycles, however, the work of the Softwood Lumber Board and its funded programs becomes even more consequential. I’m pleased to present the SLB’s 2025 Annual Report, which highlights the measurable results, disciplined investments, and strategic focus that continue to deliver value for our industry.
From Strategy to Execution
In 2025, the SLB and its funded programs supported the conversion of 1,536 projects, representing 62 million square feet of construction and generating 1.5 BBF of incremental demand. These results were achieved in a challenging environment for multifamily and non-residential construction, and they underscore both the resilience of the SLB’s programs and the growing competitiveness of lumber-based building systems. The SLB delivered solid results and strengthened the foundation for continued diversification of U.S. softwood lumber demand.
SLB Strategy
By targeting decision points that matter most, the SLB strategy aligns execution with outcomes that translate directly into incremental demand. In a more selective market, this is what turns viability into approvals and demand into volume.
Type Breakdown
LIGHT-FRAME
47%
MASS TIMBER
53%
The Strategy—and Why It Matters
In an environment with constrained demand and intense competition among building materials, the SLB must evolve and optimize strategy, priorities, and tactics. The objective is clear: expand lumber’s role in the built environment and generate 2.9 BBF of incremental annual demand by 2035, without increasing assessment rates.
The SLB’s new “From Niche to Mainstream” strategy builds on a proven record of measurable results. SLB-funded work in codes, conversion, communications, and education has generated more than 16.7 BBF of incremental demand since 2012. With a strong foundation in place, the focus now shifts to disciplined execution in a market shaped by tighter capital, fewer starts, and increased competition. This means concentrating resources where lumber can win market share fastest—and where conversions can be repeated at scale.
Prioritizing Highest-Impact Segments
with Proven Results
Targeted tactics will deliver greater project conversions and repeatable market gains in five construction focus areas that offer proven results or large-volume opportunities:
Multifamily housing, particularly 1–4 story and 5–8 story buildings, including affordable and attainable housing.
Commercial buildings, especially low-rise retail and restaurant formats.
Education facilities, where wellness and learning environments matter.
Offices and banks, including quickly growing data-center development.
Warehouses and distribution, a large-volume segment with longer-term potential.
Market growth will be driven by light-frame, mass timber, and hybrid systems that pair mass timber with light-frame, steel, or concrete. Hybrid approaches are especially important because they position lumber to compete in projects traditionally awarded to other materials.
Tackling Headwinds Through Partnerships
and Technology
The lumber industry offers a compelling environmental and economic value proposition but faces barriers resulting from a variety of factors, including lack of expertise during design, estimating, and construction; manufacturing supply chain integration; and more. Boosting confidence and reducing uncertainty at key decision points is central to protecting market share and unlocking new demand.
To respond, the SLB is concentrating effort in three practical, execution-focused ways.
Shift from national to local.
Market gains increasingly depend on where projects move fastest. Resources are being focused on metropolitan areas with the strongest near-term conversion potential. A city-level approach—aligning code implementation, workforce readiness, developer engagement, and partner activity—enables repeatable project wins that can be scaled to additional markets.
Use AI as an enabler.
AI technologies are improving the SLB’s efficiency and precision across programs, supporting research, audience targeting, message testing, and content development. At the same time, program content is being prepared for AI-driven discovery and recommendation environments, where architects and developers increasingly evaluate materials and systems.
Expand partnerships.
Collaboration remains a force multiplier. The SLB continues to work with public agencies, industry groups, and aligned organizations to reduce barriers related to insurance, financing, training, and code adoption. Partnerships are prioritized based on their ability to leverage outside resources and deliver measurable progress.
Codes, Standards, and Policy Engagement
CMC has materially expanded its role in defensive and offensive
code advocacy.
Why this matters to our industry:
CMC is proactively working to shape regulatory conditions.
This strengthens masonry’s competitive position in markets where wood faces increasing scrutiny around fire, durability, insurance, and resilience.
Education and Workforce Pipeline
CMC is building its education pipeline to influence future designers, builders, contractors, and laborers.
Why this matters to our industry:
While not an immediate market-share threat, CMC is ensuring masonry
is normalized early in academic and professional training.
Competitive materials are waging increasingly aggressive campaigns attacking wood’s environmental and performance credentials, making it more important than ever for the lumber industry to work with a unified strategic plan.
After several years of program builtout, the Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) program has begun transitioning from infrastructure to coordinated market impact. Meeting the CMC’s objective—growing CMU market share by 20% over five years—requires functions that overlap with the SLB’s mission to influence material selection and decision makers.
Design Professional Influence
CMC’s most consequential advance is its direct, early-stage influence on architects and engineers through the Block Design Collective (BDC).
Why this matters to our industry:
CMC directly competes with SLB-funded efforts aimed at positioning wood solutions in multifamily, commercial, and institutional markets.
It raises the bar for what “design outreach” now means in practice.
Unified National Marketing Narrative
The Beauty of Block campaign demonstrates disciplined national marketing execution that is in direct competition with Think Wood’s efforts and engagement.
Why this matters to our industry:
CMC has established a credible voice that reframes masonry around resilience, safety, sustainability, and design relevance—areas where wood, specifically Think Wood, also competes for narrative leadership.
OPPORTUNITIES
1 of 6
Protect and Expand the Core
Multifamily 1- to 4-story remains the largest incremental opportunity, representing 670 MM BF in potential annual volume. Urban infill, zoning reform, and “Missing Middle” housing policies create room for expansion even as lumber maintains a strong share.
Light-frame systems align naturally with duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and low-rise apartment buildings increasingly favored in affordability-driven markets. Securing this volume requires protecting share while expanding hybrid systems where additional performance is needed. Because this segment builds on cost efficiency, speed, and workforce familiarity, it represents the most capital-efficient path to near-term growth.
Blockhouse | Uptic Studios | DCI Engineers | Photo Credit: Oliver Irwin Photography
"If we didn't have the Softwood Lumber Board, I think at the end of the day we'd have a smaller market. We need to be aspirational as leaders of the industry to make sure that we keep this important work moving forward so that we can build out the industry's full potential.”
Brad thorlakson
Tolko Industries Ltd. President & CEO
Integrated Design Cubed ‘s Bucks T-4 Housing in Big Sky, Montana, is the first large-scale mass timber modular building in the United States. The 120-module workforce housing project, featured in a Think Wood case study, demonstrates how lumber-based construction systems can help attainable housing projects pencil out. Big Sky Bucks T-4 Modular Housing | Peter Rose + Partners & NKBAK | Photo Credit: Chuck Choi
Focused Execution in High-Impact Markets
Growth across these segments depends on disciplined execution: prioritizing cities with the most opportunity for growth, reinforcing cost and speed advantages, and advancing hybrid systems that compete directly with steel and concrete. Targeting segments where wood can scale and pencil out leads to repeat approvals, institutional acceptance, and steady volume gains.
Scaling Wood Where It Wins
The SLB’s pathway to 2.9 BBF in incremental annual demand by 2035 is anchored in targeted growth across five construction segments where lumber can scale efficiently: multifamily (1–4 and 5–8 stories), commercial, office and banks, education, and warehouses. These segments offer the strongest combination of volume potential and achievable market-share gains, based on FEA and SLB market analysis.
level up mass timber knowledge among construction managers.
Holgate Library | Bora Architecture
& Interiors | Photo Credit: Lara Swimmer
to Practice
on the Wood Institute
on the Wood Institute
Expanding ready-to-use course packages into architecture and construction management programs.
Deepening administrator engagement to institutionalize wood curriculum.
Wood Institute marketing continues to target new user growth while increasing repeat participation.
Connecting faculty training and professional CEUs so what’s taught in school carries into real-world projects.
What's Next
"The concrete and steel industries have a lot of money, but by pooling our resources, I believe the lumber industry has an opportunity to be on the offensive. And we are gaining momentum because of the work being done across the Softwood Lumber Board programs."
Ashlee Cribb
Chief Executive Officer, Gorman Group
Mystic Creek Clubhouse | DLR Group | Photo Credit: Kevin Reeves
Hearings (April 2026):
The AWC will defend exposed ceiling allowances, protect off-site efficiencies, and advance clarifications that improve the value and predictability of light-frame construction.
Online Governmental
Consensus Voting (May 2026):
Final approval stage for 2027 I-Code provisions—critical to preserving tall-wood allowances and scalable off-site pathways nationwide.
What's Next
"As a global producer of renewable wood products with a significant footprint in both Canada and the United States, West Fraser is proud to contribute to a dynamic North American lumber industry that’s redefining and expanding how wood is used. The Softwood Lumber Board plays an important role in this transformation, driving market growth for both light-frame and mass timber construction, while elevating the environmental and performance advantages of responsibly sourced wood through strategic advocacy, education, and building code advancement."
Sean McLaren
President and CEO, West Fraser,
Chair, American Wood Council Board of Directors
Massachusetts Amherst.
Green Valley Ranch Development | DL Cohen |
Photo Credit: DL Cohen
across all events
hours logged
Kreher Preserve and Nature Center Environmental Education Building |
Leers Weinzapfel Associates | Photo Credit: C. W. Newell
Trestle Cabin | Miller Hull | Photo Credit: Juan Benavides
in New Markets
rates of referred leads.
Projects to Lumber
Parcel Friends | Studio Bardo | Photo Credit: Chris Cox
COMPLETED
(SQLs) | 2,282 Cumulative SQLs
Generated
Caroline Dauzat
Owner, Rex Lumber
Chair Emeritus, SLB Board of Directors
on the following:
Expand media integrations targeting developers, engineers, and commercial GCs, in addition to architects.
Advancing project storytelling with new case studies, including completed projects from Mass Timber Competition winners.
Develop resources focusing on modular construction for developer audiences.
Deepen co-nurturing with WoodWorks to accelerate conversion rates.
Deploy AI-driven data modeling to optimize paid media, lower lead acquisition costs, and increase engagement.
What's Next
"The board has been a positive force pushing us
forward and engaging in what is really important,
which is growing our market share."
1550 Soldier’s Field Road | Icon Architecture | Photo Credit: Dellbrook|JKS
JJ Carroll Redevelopment | MASS Design Group |
Photo Credit: MASS Design Group
to wood.
Williams College Davis Center | Leers Weinzapfel Associates |
Photo Credit: Albert Vecerka Photographs
BF
BF
LUMBER
DIRECTLY INFLUENCED
SF
BF
EWP
Advance “permit-ready” projects into starts as financing conditions improve.
Continue to prioritize light-frame multifamily and senior housing, and other sectors where demand and market share are strongest.
Build confidence with developers, design teams, and code authorities to advance tall wood and first-of-kind projects.
Expand contractor training to support repeatable, buildable wood construction.
Use secure AI platforms to streamline research and summarize technical resources, allowing staff to devote more hours to direct project support.
What's Next
"There's an upward limit on how much lumber can be consumed in housing and industrial markets. We need to add new demand by encouraging new uses of lumber and converting projects using other materials. The SLB accomplishes that work through the work of its programs, WoodWorks, the American Wood Council, Think Wood, and SLB Education."
Cade Warner
President & CEO, Westervelt Company,
Woodworks Board of directors
accelErator cities
Selected in the second cohort of the New York City Mass Timber Studio, the 612,000-square-foot New Stapleton development will provide more than 600 mixed-income homes and is anticipated to be the largest mass timber residential project in New York City (and the United States) when it breaks ground in 2027. | Rendering Credit: GF55 Architects
Held at the New York City Center for Architecture, the final event for the second cohort of the NYC Mass Timber Studio included presentations and posters from the selected design teams, as well as engagement from the city’s Department of Buildings and Fire Department. Photo Credit: New York City Economic Development Corporation
NEW YORK CITY:
MAINSTREAMING WOOD AT SCALE
By catalyzing large commercial and residential developments in the nation’s most influential real estate market, the NYC Mass Timber Studio is accelerating mainstream adoption. The second cohort of seven projects includes the New York Climate Exchange—projected to exceed 140,000 square feet—and the 500-unit Stapleton B4/B5 Residential project. Engagement from the city’s Department of Buildings and Fire Department at the announcement for the second cohort reflects active alignment with permitting and life-safety authorities.
1 of 3
Leveraging Partnerships to Grow Demand
Backed by an additional $1 million from the USDA Forest Service, $500,000 from the SLB, and $250,000 from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Accelerator Cities Program will continue
to deploy strategic funding to grow high-impact urban markets in 2026.
The SLB will also begin a national cohort-based partnership with C40 Cities, augmenting the existing Accelerator Cities model by activating multiple municipalities simultaneously through a trusted network that already maintains strong relationships with urban sustainability leaders, extending the program’s reach while reinforcing its core framework.
By shaping projects at critical decision points, the Accelerator Cities Program drives incremental lumber demand while protecting and expanding market share.
Strengthening Market Share at
the Point of Specification
By accelerating lumber specification in high-growth urban markets, the Accelerator Cities Program strengthens lumber’s competitive position in multifamily and non-residential construction. Developed in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and supported by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, this public-private initiative provides targeted funding, technical assistance, and local industry engagement to help cities pilot and scale lumber-based building systems. By supporting projects in the earliest phases of planning and design—when material decisions are most influential—the program reduces adoption barriers and increases the likelihood that lumber is specified at scale.
Proven Model in Major Urban Markets
By advancing millions of square feet of potential wood construction across three major regions, the program’s initial pilots established a scalable path to market share growth. Launched in Boston, New York City, and Georgia, the program combined $1 million in partner funding—leveraging just $200,000 from the SLB—to directly support 41 potential innovative projects, positioning lumber-based systems as viable solutions in dense, code-sensitive environments.
Mass timber competition
"We're proud to partner with the Softwood Lumber Board to advance the essential connections between forest management and markets. These efforts don't just grow markets. They open a way to healthier forests, stronger communities, and a more sustainable future. The Softwood Lumber Board plays a vital role in these efforts, and I applaud the industry's foresight and steady commitment. I look forward to building on this strong foundation and the impact that we can achieve in the years ahead."
John Crockett, Deputy Chief for State, Private,
and Tribal Forestry and the National Forest
System at the Forest Service
The 2025 Mass Timber Competition is expanding lumber’s market share in K–12 education, one of the most scalable and publicly funded building sectors in the United States. The SLB and the USDA Forest Service awarded $1.8 million in this third cycle of the competition, positioning mass timber as a repeatable, high-performance solution in a high-volume, high-visibility segment.
For investors, K–12 represents durable long-term demand. Public schools are built nationwide, funded through stable capital programs, and frequently replicated across districts. This year’s winning projects demonstrate that mass timber can deliver measurable benefits: faster construction timelines, lower embodied carbon, improved student focus, and enhanced teacher well-being. Each project will share performance data and design insights, reducing adoption barriers for future districts and increasing the likelihood of wood specification at scale.
Since formalizing their partnership in 2015, the SLB and USDA Forest Service have co-invested nearly $100 million in programs that expand markets for softwood lumber. By embedding lumber in one of the nation’s most consistent public building sectors, representing 203 MM BF of potential annual incremental lumber demand, the Mass Timber Competition strengthens lumber’s competitive position—driving repeatable demand and reinforcing lumber as a scalable solution for the next generation of school construction.
“The Softwood Lumber Board sets the gold standard for identifying outcomes and demonstrating return on investment. Few industry-led initiatives can point to results as clearly as the SLB—1.5 billion board feet of incremental demand generated in 2025 alone and 16.7 billion board feet since inception. Through disciplined strategy, strong partnerships, and measurable accountability, the SLB is expanding markets for softwood lumber while strengthening the connection between forest management, economic vitality, and long-term sustainability.”
Brian Brashaw
Assistant Director, Natural Resources & Wood Innovations, USDA Forest Service
The SLB has long partnered with the USDA Forest Service on the Wood Innovations Grant (WIG) program as an advisor in selecting awardees and provider of matching funds for the program. In 2025, the SLB assumed a more significant role—serving as the program administrator responsible for managing and distributing the USDA’s award budget of nearly $2 million. This new level of partnership underscores the USDA’s trust in the SLB’s expertise and its leadership in guiding funds toward projects that will have lasting impact on market growth, sustainability, and the broader wood products industry.
This year’s program supports 10 projects that advance the development, testing, and adoption of innovative wood products and mass timber systems nationwide. Highlights include:
Engineering firm KL&A’s development of engineering data and design methods for NLT panels made from Colorado-sourced lumber.
Applied research by HGC Noise Vibration Acoustics to provide code-ready data to help designers meet sound requirements with exposed wood.
Mahlum Architects’ study assessing how exposed wood influences student well-being and performance.
Timberlab’s fire testing on glulam beams with mechanical
and electrical penetrations to develop safe, code-supported
detailing methods.
featured projects
1 of 4
Multifamily
WoodWorks support helped keep this 450,000-square-foot, 5-over-2 project on track during permitting. While finalizing drawings, the design team at BCT Architects was asked by the general contractor to modify a detail at the intersection of a 2-hour exterior wall and 1-hour demising wall to streamline construction. Without a clear UL assembly or precedent to justify the change, the team turned to WoodWorks.
Drawing on the International Building Code, the AWC’s National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and tested assemblies, WoodWorks identified a compliant code path and helped refine the detailing approach—maintaining fire-rating continuity while eliminating unnecessary gypsum. Now under construction, the result is a buildable, code-aligned light-frame solution that preserved construction efficiency without compromising safety.
Avalon Bay Brewers Hill | Rendering Credit: BCT Design Group
These WoodWorks-assisted projects showcase growth sectors for lumber-based construction with light-frame, mass timber, and hybrid building systems across the nation.
financials
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has postponed the SLB’s continuance referendum until two rulemaking actions recommended by the Board in March 2025 (addressing the net nominal issue and adding a seat to the U.S. South region) are complete. AMS estimates the rulemaking will be complete between September 2026 and March 2027. For more information, contact AMS Marketing Specialist Katie Cook at katie.cook@usda.gov.
BOARD FEET
annual softwood lumber use from
2021-2025 would have been 3.4% lower.
17%
$3,119,000
Communications
25%
$4,533,760
Codes & Standards
31%
$5,625,000
Conversion
4%
$713,000
Applied Research
2%
$380,000
Public-Private Partnerships
8%
$1,450,000
Education
4%
$810,000
Industry Outreach
1%
$200,000
USDA Fees
8%
$1,487,500
Administration
"It has been a privilege to serve as treasurer during a period when disciplined investment and financial stewardship have translated directly into measurable growth for our industry. The SLB continues to deploy the industry’s funds with focus and accountability—prioritizing programs that convert projects, protect market access, and deliver repeatable demand for lumber. The results speak for themselves: billions of board feet of incremental lumber demand and a strategy positioned to generate even greater returns in the years ahead.”
Jim Neiman
president, Neiman Enterprises
Outgoing Treasurer
“The strength of the Softwood Lumber Board lies not only in its strategy, but in its financial discipline. Every dollar invested is evaluated against measurable outcomes and long-term market impact. As we look ahead, our responsibility remains clear: to steward the industry’s investment wisely, concentrate resources where lumber can win market share, and ensure that each assessment dollar continues to generate durable, scalable demand growth for U.S. softwood lumber.”
Trey Hankins
CFO, HaNkins, Inc.
Incoming treasurer
Lee
Education
Think Wood
Marketing and
Communications
Operations
Flom
*2025 Executive Committee Members (One board seat remained vacant in 2025)
Co-Owner and Director of Human Resources
Scott
Vice President
President & CEO
Former President
& CEO
Ferris*
President & CEO
Biewer
Trading Group
Former CEO
Johnston
President & CEO
Neiman*
Vice President of Lumber Operations
CEO
Cribb*
(Chair Emeritus)
President & CEO
CFO
Hankins
President of Lumber
SLB Board Chair
Mason*
Executive: Brian Luoma, The Westervelt Company; Caroline Dauzat, Rex Lumber; George Emmerson, Sierra Pacific Industries;
Jack Jordan, Jordan Lumber; Don Kayne, Canfor
Finance: Furman Brodie, Charles Ingram Lumber Company; Brian Chaney, Weyerhaeuser; Susan Coulombe, J.D. Irving, Ltd.; Ian Fillinger, Interfor Corporation; Alden Robbins, Robbins Lumber; Randy Schillinger, Hampton Lumber
IR&G: Joe Hankins, Hankins, Inc.; Mark Richardson, The Westervelt Company; Kevin Pankratz, Canfor
If you'd like a printed version of the Annual Report mailed to you,
please email info@softwoodlumberboard.org. *For Industry Members Only
Jérôme Pelletier
J.D. Irving Ltd., Vice President;
2025 SLB First Vice Chair, SLB Board of Directors
"Since I first joined the board three years ago,
I've been amazed by the industry knowledge and skills that the SLB staff brings to the table.
They have a clear understanding of market trends and a strategy on where the industry’s investments can be the most impactful. That expertise stands out by the results."
faculty at 291 schools cultivating future design professionals more comfortable specifying wood.
meaningful Think Wood campaign activities.
for a cumulative total of 61,100.
to specify wood systems in the next 12 months after engaging with the Think Wood campaign.
354 MM BF
8 BF/sq. ft.
& MASS TIMBER
47 MM BF
16 BF/sq. ft.
179 MM BF
12 BF/sq. ft.
from SLB investments is
in programs leverages
investments since 2012.
SLB-funded programs.
OF EDUCATION
62 MILLION
SQUARE FEET
2025 HIGHLIGHTS
In 2025, the SLB and its funded programs supported the conversion of 1,536 projects, representing 62 million square feet of construction and generating 1.5 BBF of incremental demand. These results were achieved in a challenging environment for multifamily and non-residential construction, and they underscore both the resilience of the SLB’s programs and the growing competitiveness of lumber-based building systems. The SLB delivered solid results and strengthened the foundation for continued diversification of U.S. softwood lumber demand.
Expanding lumber markets is essential to the industry’s growth in any economic climate. In softer demand cycles, however, the work of the Softwood Lumber Board and its funded programs becomes even more consequential. I’m pleased to present the SLB’s 2025 Annual Report, which highlights the measurable results, disciplined investments, and strategic focus that continue to deliver value for our industry.
By targeting decision points that matter most, the SLB strategy aligns execution with outcomes that translate directly into incremental demand. In a more selective market, this is what turns viability into approvals and demand into volume.
Type Breakdown
LIGHT-FRAME
53%
47%
MASS TIMBER
Prioritizing Highest-Impact Segments
with Proven Results
The Strategy—and Why It Matters
Targeted tactics will deliver greater project conversions and repeatable market gains in five construction focus areas that offer proven results or large-volume opportunities:
Multifamily housing, particularly 1–4 story and 5–8 story buildings, including affordable and attainable housing.
Commercial buildings, especially low-rise retail and restaurant formats.
Education facilities, where wellness and learning environments matter.
Offices and banks, including quickly growing data-center development.
Warehouses and distribution, a large-volume segment with longer-term potential.
Market growth will be driven by light-frame, mass timber, and hybrid systems that pair mass timber with light-frame, steel, or concrete. Hybrid approaches are especially important because they position lumber to compete in projects traditionally awarded to other materials.
Tackling Headwinds Through Partnerships and Technology
The lumber industry offers a compelling environmental and economic value proposition but faces barriers resulting from a variety of factors, including lack of expertise during design, estimating, and construction; manufacturing supply chain integration; and more. Boosting confidence and reducing uncertainty at key decision points is central to protecting market share and unlocking new demand.
To respond, the SLB is concentrating effort in three practical, execution-focused ways.
Shift from national to local.
Market gains increasingly depend on where projects move fastest. Resources are being focused on metropolitan areas with the strongest near-term conversion potential. A city-level approach—aligning code implementation, workforce readiness, developer engagement, and partner activity—enables repeatable project wins that can be scaled to additional markets.
Use AI as an enabler.
AI technologies are improving the SLB’s efficiency and precision across programs, supporting research, audience targeting, message testing, and content development. At the same time, program content is being prepared for AI-driven discovery and recommendation environments, where architects and developers increasingly evaluate materials and systems.
Expand partnerships.
Collaboration remains a force multiplier. The SLB continues to work with public agencies, industry groups, and aligned organizations to reduce barriers related to insurance, financing, training, and code adoption. Partnerships are prioritized based on their ability to leverage outside resources and deliver measurable progress.
In an environment with constrained demand and intense competition among building materials, the SLB must evolve and optimize strategy, priorities, and tactics. The objective is clear: expand lumber’s role in the built environment and generate 2.9 BBF of incremental annual demand by 2035, without increasing assessment rates.
The SLB’s new “From Niche to Mainstream” strategy builds on a proven record of measurable results. SLB-funded work in codes, conversion, communications, and education has generated more than 16.7 BBF of incremental demand since 2012. With a strong foundation in place, the focus now shifts to disciplined execution in a market shaped by tighter capital, fewer starts, and increased competition. This means concentrating resources where lumber can win market share fastest—and where conversions can be repeated at scale.
A Focused Strategy for Market Growth
Competitive materials are waging increasingly aggressive campaigns attacking wood’s environmental and performance credentials, making it more important than ever for the lumber industry to work with a unified strategic plan.
After several years of program builtout, the Concrete Masonry Checkoff (CMC) program has begun transitioning from infrastructure to coordinated market impact. Meeting the CMC’s objective—growing CMU market share by 20% over five years—requires functions that overlap with the SLB’s mission to influence material selection and decision makers.
Design Professional Influence
CMC’s most consequential advance is its direct, early-stage influence on architects and engineers through the Block Design Collective (BDC).
Why this matters to our industry:
CMC directly competes with SLB-funded efforts aimed at positioning wood solutions in multifamily, commercial, and institutional markets. It raises the bar for what “design outreach” now means in practice.
Unified National Marketing Narrative
The Beauty of Block campaign demonstrates disciplined national marketing execution that is in direct competition with Think Wood’s efforts and engagement.
Why this matters to our industry:
CMC has established a credible voice that reframes masonry around resilience, safety, sustainability, and design relevance—areas where wood, specifically Think Wood, also competes for narrative leadership.
Codes, Standards, and Policy Engagement
CMC has materially expanded its role in defensive and offensive code advocacy.
Why this matters to our industry:
CMC is proactively working to shape regulatory conditions. This strengthens masonry’s competitive position in markets where wood faces increasing scrutiny around fire, durability, insurance, and resilience.
Education and Workforce Pipeline
CMC is building its education pipeline to influence future designers, builders, contractors, and laborers.
Why this matters to our industry:
While not an immediate market-share threat, CMC is ensuring masonry is normalized early in academic and professional training.
"If we didn't have the Softwood Lumber Board, I think at the end of the day we'd have a smaller market. We need to be aspirational as leaders of the industry to make sure that we keep this important work moving forward so that we can build out the industry's full potential.”
Brad thorlakson
Tolko Industries Ltd. President & CEO
1 of 6
Protect and Expand the Core
Multifamily 1- to 4-story remains the largest incremental opportunity, representing 670 MM BF in potential annual volume. Urban infill, zoning reform, and “Missing Middle” housing policies create room for expansion even as lumber maintains a strong share.
Light-frame systems align naturally with duplexes, triplexes, townhomes, and low-rise apartment buildings increasingly favored in affordability-driven markets. Securing this volume requires protecting share while expanding hybrid systems where additional performance is needed. Because this segment builds on cost efficiency, speed, and workforce familiarity, it represents the most capital-efficient path to near-term growth.
Blockhouse | Uptic Studios | DCI Engineers | Photo Credit: Oliver Irwin Photography
Integrated Design Cubed ‘s Bucks T-4 Housing in Big Sky, Montana,
is the first large-scale mass timber modular building in the United States. The 120-module workforce housing project, featured in a Think Wood case study, demonstrates how lumber-based construction systems can help attainable housing projects pencil out. Big Sky Bucks T-4 Modular Housing | Peter Rose + Partners & NKBAK |
Photo Credit: Chuck Choi
Scaling Wood Where It Wins
The SLB’s pathway to 2.9 BBF in incremental annual demand by 2035 is anchored in targeted growth across five construction segments where lumber can scale efficiently: multifamily (1–4 and 5–8 stories), commercial, office and banks, education, and warehouses. These segments offer the strongest combination of volume potential and achievable market-share gains, based on FEA and SLB market analysis.
Focused Execution in High-Impact Markets
Growth across these segments depends on disciplined execution: prioritizing cities with the most opportunity for growth, reinforcing cost and speed advantages, and advancing hybrid systems that compete directly with steel and concrete. Targeting segments where wood can scale and pencil out leads to repeat approvals, institutional acceptance, and steady volume gains.
Ashlee Cribb
Chief Executive Officer, Gorman Group
"The concrete and steel industries have a lot of money, but by pooling our resources, I believe the lumber industry has an opportunity to be on the offensive. And we are gaining momentum because of the work being done across the Softwood Lumber Board programs."
Expanding ready-to-use course packages into architecture and construction management programs.
Deepening administrator engagement to institutionalize wood curriculum.
Wood Institute marketing continues to target new user growth while increasing repeat participation.
Connecting faculty training and professional CEUs so what’s taught in school carries into real-world projects.
What's Next
BY THE NUMBERS
Sean McLaren
President and CEO, West Fraser,
Chair, American Wood Council Board of Directors
"As a global producer of renewable wood products with a significant footprint in both Canada and the United States, West Fraser is proud to contribute to a dynamic North American lumber industry that’s redefining and expanding how wood is used. The Softwood Lumber Board plays an important role in this transformation, driving market growth for both light-frame and mass timber construction, while elevating the environmental and performance advantages of responsibly sourced wood through strategic advocacy, education, and building code advancement."
Public Comment
Hearings (April 2026):
The AWC will defend exposed ceiling allowances, protect off-site efficiencies, and advance clarifications that improve the value and predictability of light-frame construction.
Online Governmental
Consensus Voting (May 2026):
Final approval stage for 2027 I-Code provisions—critical to preserving tall-wood allowances and scalable off-site pathways nationwide.
What's Next
Mystic Creek Clubhouse | DLR Group |
Photo Credit: Kevin Reeves
BY THE NUMBERS
Caroline Dauzat
Owner, Rex Lumber
Chair Emeritus, SLB Board of Directors
"The board has been a positive force pushing us forward and engaging in what is really important, which is growing our market share."
Expand media integrations targeting developers, engineers, and commercial GCs, in addition to architects.
Advancing project storytelling with new case studies, including completed projects from Mass Timber Competition winners.
Develop resources focusing on modular construction for developer audiences.
Deepen co-nurturing with WoodWorks to accelerate conversion rates.
Deploy AI-driven data modeling to optimize paid media, lower lead acquisition costs, and increase engagement.
the following:
What's Next
& Conversions
Kreher Preserve and Nature Center Environmental Education Building|
Leers Weinzapfel Associates | Photo Credit: C. W. Newell
BY THE NUMBERS
in New Markets
and Beyond
Cade Warner
President & CEO, Westervelt Company,
Woodworks Board of directors
"There's an upward limit on how much lumber can be consumed in housing and industrial markets. We need to add new demand by encouraging new uses of lumber and converting projects using other materials. The SLB accomplishes that work through the work of its programs, WoodWorks, the American Wood Council, Think Wood, and SLB Education."
Advance “permit-ready” projects into starts as financing conditions improve.
Continue to prioritize light-frame multifamily and senior housing, and other sectors where demand and market share are strongest.
Build confidence with developers, design teams, and code authorities to advance tall wood and first-of-kind projects.
Expand contractor training to support repeatable, buildable wood construction.
Use secure AI platforms to streamline research and summarize technical resources, allowing staff to devote more hours to direct project support.
What's Next
While Maintaining Existing Markets
1550 Soldier’s Field Road | Icon Architecture |
Photo Credit: Dellbrook|JKS
BY THE NUMBERS
Selected in the second cohort of the New York City Mass Timber Studio, the 612,000-square-foot New Stapleton development will provide more than 600 mixed-income homes and is anticipated to be the largest mass timber residential project in New York City (and the United States) when it breaks ground in 2027. | Rendering Credit: GF55 Architects
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Held at the New York City Center for Architecture, the final event for the second cohort of the NYC Mass Timber Studio included presentations and posters from the selected design teams, as well as engagement from the city’s Department of Buildings and Fire Department. Photo Credit: New York City Economic Development Corporation
NEW YORK CITY:
MAINSTREAMING WOOD AT SCALE
By catalyzing large commercial and residential developments in the nation’s most influential real estate market, the NYC Mass Timber Studio is accelerating mainstream adoption. The second cohort of seven projects includes the New York Climate Exchange—projected to exceed 140,000 square feet—and the 500-unit Stapleton B4/B5 Residential project. Engagement from the city’s Department of Buildings and Fire Department at the announcement for the second cohort reflects active alignment with permitting and life-safety authorities.
Leveraging Partnerships to Grow Demand
Backed by an additional $1 million from the
USDA Forest Service, $500,000 from the SLB,
and $250,000 from the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, the Accelerator Cities Program will continue to deploy strategic funding to grow high-impact urban markets in 2026.
The SLB will also begin a national cohort-based partnership with C40 Cities, augmenting the existing Accelerator Cities model by activating multiple municipalities simultaneously through a trusted network that already maintains strong relationships with urban sustainability leaders, extending the program’s reach while reinforcing
its core framework. By shaping projects at critical decision points, the Accelerator Cities Program drives incremental lumber demand while protecting and expanding market share.
Strengthening Market Share at
the Point of Specification
By accelerating lumber specification in high-growth urban markets, the Accelerator Cities Program strengthens lumber’s competitive position in multifamily and non-residential construction. Developed in partnership with the USDA Forest Service and supported by the U.S. Endowment for Forestry and Communities, this public-private initiative provides targeted funding, technical assistance, and local industry engagement to help cities pilot and scale lumber-based building systems. By supporting projects in the earliest phases of planning and design—when material decisions are most influential—the program reduces adoption barriers and increases the likelihood that lumber is specified at scale.
Proven Model in Major Urban Markets
By advancing millions of square feet of potential wood construction across three major regions, the program’s initial pilots established a scalable path to market share growth. Launched in Boston, New York City, and Georgia, the program combined $1 million in partner funding—leveraging just $200,000 from the SLB—to directly support 41 potential innovative projects, positioning lumber-based systems as viable solutions in dense, code-sensitive environments.
JOHN CROCKETT
Deputy Chief for State, Private,
and Tribal Forestry and the National
Forest System at the Forest Service
"We're proud to partner with the Softwood Lumber Board to advance the essential connections between forest management and markets. These efforts don't just grow markets. They open a way to healthier forests, stronger communities, and a more sustainable future. The Softwood Lumber Board plays a vital role in these efforts, and I applaud the industry's foresight and steady commitment. I look forward to building on this strong foundation and the impact that we can achieve in the years ahead."
The 2025 Mass Timber Competition is expanding lumber’s market share in K–12 education, one of the most scalable and publicly funded building sectors in the United States. The SLB and the USDA Forest Service awarded $1.8 million in this third cycle of the competition, positioning mass timber as a repeatable, high-performance solution in a high-volume, high-visibility segment.
For investors, K–12 represents durable long-term demand. Public schools are built nationwide, funded through stable capital programs, and frequently replicated across districts. This year’s winning projects demonstrate that mass timber can deliver measurable benefits: faster construction timelines, lower embodied carbon, improved student focus, and enhanced teacher well-being. Each project will share performance data and design insights, reducing adoption barriers for future districts and increasing the likelihood of wood specification at scale.
Since formalizing their partnership in 2015, the SLB and USDA Forest Service have co-invested nearly $100 million in programs that expand markets for softwood lumber. By embedding lumber in one of the nation’s most consistent public building sectors, representing 203 MM BF of potential annual incremental lumber demand, the Mass Timber Competition strengthens lumber’s competitive position—driving repeatable demand and reinforcing lumber as a scalable solution for the next generation of school construction.
Supports Growth in K–12 Construction
The SLB has long partnered with the USDA Forest Service on the Wood Innovations Grant (WIG) program as an advisor in selecting awardees and provider of matching funds for the program. In 2025, the SLB assumed a more significant role—serving as the program administrator responsible for managing and distributing the USDA’s award budget of nearly $2 million. This new level of partnership underscores the USDA’s trust in the SLB’s expertise and its leadership in guiding funds toward projects that will have lasting impact on market growth, sustainability, and the broader wood products industry.
This year’s program supports 10 projects that advance the development, testing, and adoption of innovative wood products and mass timber systems nationwide. Highlights include:
Engineering firm KL&A’s development of engineering data and design methods for NLT panels made from Colorado-sourced lumber.
Applied research by HGC Noise Vibration Acoustics to provide code-ready data to help designers meet sound requirements with exposed wood.
Mahlum Architects’ study assessing how exposed wood influences student well-being and performance.
Timberlab’s fire testing on glulam beams with mechanical
and electrical penetrations to develop safe, code-supported detailing methods.
Use of Advanced
Wood Products
“The Softwood Lumber Board sets the gold standard for identifying outcomes and demonstrating return on investment. Few industry-led initiatives can point to results as clearly as the SLB—1.5 billion board feet of incremental demand generated in 2025 alone and 16.7 billion board feet since inception. Through disciplined strategy, strong partnerships, and measurable accountability, the SLB is expanding markets for softwood lumber while strengthening the connection between forest management, economic vitality, and long-term sustainability.”
Brian Brashaw
Assistant Director, Natural Resources & Wood Innovations, USDA Forest Service
Avalon Bay Brewers Hill | Rendering Credit: BCT Design Group
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WoodWorks support helped keep this 450,000-square-foot, 5-over-2 project on track during permitting. While finalizing drawings, the design team at BCT Architects was asked by the general contractor to modify a detail at the intersection of a 2-hour exterior wall and 1-hour demising wall to streamline construction. Without a clear UL assembly or precedent to justify the change, the team turned to WoodWorks.
Drawing on the International Building Code, the AWC’s National Design Specification for Wood Construction, and tested assemblies, WoodWorks identified a compliant code path and helped refine the detailing approach—maintaining fire-rating continuity while eliminating unnecessary gypsum. Now under construction, the result is a buildable, code-aligned light-frame solution that preserved construction efficiency without compromising safety.
These WoodWorks-assisted projects showcase growth sectors for lumber-based construction with light-frame, mass timber, and hybrid building systems across the nation.
High-Opportunity Segment Features
“The strength of the Softwood Lumber Board lies not only in its strategy, but in its financial discipline. Every dollar invested is evaluated against measurable outcomes and long-term market impact. As we look ahead, our responsibility remains clear: to steward the industry’s investment wisely, concentrate resources where lumber can win market share, and ensure that each assessment dollar continues to generate durable, scalable demand growth for U.S. softwood lumber.”
Trey Hankins
CFO, HaNkins, Inc.
Incoming treasurer
"It has been a privilege to serve as treasurer during a period when disciplined investment and financial stewardship have translated directly into measurable growth for our industry. The SLB continues to deploy the industry’s funds with focus and accountability—prioritizing programs that convert projects, protect market access, and deliver repeatable demand for lumber. The results speak for themselves: billions of board feet of incremental lumber demand and a strategy positioned to generate even greater returns in the years ahead.”
Jim Neiman
president, Neiman Enterprises
Outgoing Treasurer
FINANCIALS
Postponed Until
Late 2026
annual softwood lumber use from 2020-2025 would have been 3.4% lower.
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has postponed the SLB’s continuance referendum until two rulemaking actions recommended by the Board in March 2025 (addressing the net nominal issue and adding a seat to the U.S. South region) are complete. AMS estimates the rulemaking will be complete between September 2026 and March 2027. For more information, contact AMS Marketing Specialist Katie Cook at katie.cook@usda.gov.
8%
$1,487,500
Administration
BOARD FEET
Executive: Brian Luoma, The Westervelt Company; Caroline Dauzat, Rex Lumber; George Emmerson, Sierra Pacific Industries;
Jack Jordan, Jordan Lumber; Don Kayne, Canfor
Finance: Furman Brodie, Charles Ingram Lumber Company; Brian Chaney, Weyerhaeuser; Susan Coulombe, J.D. Irving, Ltd.; Ian Fillinger, Interfor Corporation; Alden Robbins, Robbins Lumber; Randy Schillinger, Hampton Lumber
IR&G: Joe Hankins, Hankins, Inc.; Mark Richardson, The Westervelt Company; Kevin Pankratz, Canfor
President & CEO
President & CEO
Education
Lee
Think Wood
Gerfen
Marketing and Communications
Hyoun
Operations
Flom
Jager
Vice President
President & CEO
President & CEO
President & CEO
Former CEO
Vice President of
Lumber Operations
CEO
Chair
(Chair Emeritus)
Co-Owner and Director
of Human Resources
CFO
President of Lumber
SLB Board Chair
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
*2025 Executive Committee Members
(One board seat remained vacant in 2025)
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
of the Impact of the SLB
If you'd like a printed version of the
Annual Report mailed to you, please email info@softwoodlumberboard.org.
*For Industry Members Only
