Minnesota Manufacturers of Wood ProductsPrepare for Economic Rebound with FSC Certification

Twelve Firms Ready to Supply LEED & Green Building Projects with Certified Products

Gary@TrueNorthCertified.com / www.TrueNorthCertified.com

The “great recession” may have dented the sales of producers of wood products, but twelve Minnesota firms are preparing for the economic rebound with the awarding of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for their wood-based products.

On June 18, the True North Certified Forest Products Network announced that the Network and its twelve member firms had received FSC Chain-of-Custody certification for an array of products manufactured from wood originating in well-managed FSC certified forests or from reclaimed/recycled sources.

“As increasing numbers of architects, builders, remodelers and homeowners are looking to build green and applying for LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) and MN GreenStar certification,” states Jeff Forsythe of Nordecor in Brainerd, “I felt that it was time to prepare our company to serve this growing market segment through FSC certification. The True North Network offered us the opportunity to achieve FSC certification in a quick and very resourceful manner.  It was also timely in that we are now one of the few companies of our type that has been awarded the new FSC Recycle certification, thus allowing us to certify the authenticity of our reclaimed barn-wood line.”

The FSC certification allows the twelve companies to sell FSC-certified and labeled products ranging from lumber and timbers to flooring and paneling, to cabinetry and custom furniture, to architectural millwork and staircase components, to fireplace mantels and art doors, to log siding and decking.

“Our business is focusing on local, green, quality wall and ceiling hardwood paneling products,” according to Tom Brand of Grand Arbor in St. Paul. “The True North Woods® certification assures customers that our products come from Minnesota forests and the FSC certification assures customers that they come from well-managed forests.”

Persons interested in more information about finding FSC certified suppliers or companies inquiring about becoming FSC certified may contact the Network at 1-888-223-5629, email Info@TrueNorthCertified.com, or visit the Network’s website at www.TrueNorthCertified.com.

The True North Certified Forest Products Network offers small primary and secondary manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of forest-based products access to membership in a group FSC Chain-of-Custody certification program. The Network is a program of the Minnesota Wood Education Project, a non-profit organization committed to increasing awareness of the value of sustainable management of our forests and improving the economies of our communities.

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organization that supports and promotes forest management standards that are environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable.

The firms that are members of the Network are: Bemidji Millworks, Bemidji (www.bemidjimillworks.com), Creative Sawmilling & Products, Bovey (www.truenorthwoods.com/tnw.ashx), Duluth Timber Company, Duluth (www.duluthtimber.com), Fallsburg Woodworking, Little Falls (www.fallsburg.net), Forest Specialties, Golden Valley (www.forestspecialtiesinc.net), Grand Arbor, St. Paul (www.grand-arbor.com), J.W. Beltman Woodworking, Nashwauk (www.truenorthwoods.com/tnw.ashx), Kukkeli Kuu Naturalists, Bovey (www.truenorthwoods.com/tnw.ashx),  Nordecor, Brainerd (www.nordecor.com), True North Cedar, Duluth (www.truenorthcedar.com), Wille Logging, Puposky (www.willellt.blogspot.com), and Woodmax, Paynesville (www.woodmax.net).

Manufacturers of Wood Products and Owners of ForestlandPrepare for Economic Rebound with FSC Certification

Ready to Supply LEED & Green Building Projects with Local and FSC Certified Products

Gary@TrueNorthCertified.com / www.TrueNorthCertified.com

 On November 4, the True North Certified Forest Products Network and the True North Certified Forestland Network announced that the Networks and their members had received FSC Chain-of-Custody and/or Forest Management certification for an array of products manufactured from wood originating in well-managed FSC certified forests or from reclaimed/recycled sources.

The “great recession” may have dented the sales of  wood products, but wood product manufacturers and forestland owners are preparing for the economic rebound with the awarding of Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.

Persons interested in more information about finding FSC certified suppliers, or manufacturers and forestland owners inquiring about becoming FSC certified, may contact the Network at 1-888-223-5629, email Info@TrueNorthCertified.com, or visit the Network’s website at www.TrueNorthCertified.com.

“As increasing numbers of architects, builders, remodelers and homeowners are looking to build green and applying for LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) and MN GreenStar certification,” states Jeff Forsythe of Nordecor in Brainerd, “I felt that it was time to prepare our company to serve this growing market segment through FSC certification. The True North Network offered us the opportunity to achieve FSC certification in a quick and very resourceful manner.  It was also timely in that we are now one of the few companies of our type that has been awarded the new FSC Recycle certification, thus allowing us to certify the authenticity of our reclaimed barn-wood line.”

The FSC certification allows the manufacturers and forestland owners to sell FSC certified and labeled products ranging from timber and lumber, to flooring and paneling, to cabinetry and custom furniture, to architectural millwork and staircase components, to fireplace mantels and art doors, to log siding and decking.

“Our business is focusing on local, green, quality wall and ceiling hardwood paneling products,” according to Tom Brand of Grand Arbor in St. Paul. “The True North Woods® certification assures customers that our products come from Minnesota forests, and the FSC certification assures customers that they come from well-managed forests.”

The True North Certified Forest Products Network offers primary and secondary manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of forest-based products access to membership in a group FSC Chain-of-Custody certification program. The True North Certified Forestland Network offers forestland owners access to membership in a group FSC Forest Management certification program.

The Forest Stewardship Council is an international organization that supports and promotes forest management standards that are environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable. The Networks are a service of the Minnesota Wood Education Project and were developed with the assistance of Dovetail Partners.

True North Certified Forest Product Network, Certification Code SCS-COC-002432.

True North Certified Forestland Network, Certification Code SCS-FM/COC-000119G.

LSSC Program Information & Requirements 

True North Local/Sustainable Supplier Consortium at www.TrueNorthLSSC.com

Purpose

vTo increase the utilization of products in LEED, MN GreenStar, and other green building/remodeling projects that are either (a) produced within a 500 mile radius of Minneapolis, MN or (b) have FSC and/or True North Woods^® certification.

vTo assist building/remodeling projects pursuing LEED, MN GreenStar, and other certifications in obtaining local/regional materials and/or FSC credits.

Approach

vIdentify suppliers of forest-based products within a 500 mile radius of Minneapolis that can supply building and remodeling projects with products that meet the LEED and MN GreenStar requirements for FSC certified products and/or local/regional materials.

vIdentify suppliers of other products within a 500 mile radius of Minneapolis that can supply building and remodeling projects with products that meet the LEED and MN GreenStar requirements for local/regional materials.

vDevelop a LSSC database for managing suppliers, products, and FSC and True North Woods^® (TNW) certifications.

vDevelop a LSSC website that can be accessed for lists of participating suppliers with search capabilities by product and LSSC website.

vPromote the LSSC to architects, builders, remodelers, consumers and others that are interested in LEED, MN GreenStar, and green building through the website, e-blast communications, publicity and media releases, direct mail programs, targeted advertising, trade and association shows, and selective person and telephone contacts.

vReceive inquiries for products, match the inquiries with participating suppliers, and forward inquiries to matched suppliers.

Supplier Requirements

v Supplier. Must be located within a 500 mile radius of Minneapolis, MN and may be a producing, processing, manufacturing, wholesaling, or retailing entity.

v Listed Products. Must meet one or more of the following criteria:

§ Local/Regional Materials. A percentage of a listed product must be “extracted/harvested/recovered/ salvaged” and “manufactured”  and shipped from within a 500 mile radius of Minneapolis, MN.

§ FSC Certified Products. A listed product must be FSC certified.

§ TNW Certified Products. A listed product must be True North Woods^® certified.

v Listing Fee. No fee for 2009-2010 charter participants. Thereafter, plan no fee for suppliers with 10 or fewer FTE employees, and $30 annual fee for suppliers with more than 10 FTE employees.

Application Process

vSuppliers will complete and submit a LSSC application form and supply references.

vApplications will be reviewed, and those meeting the above supplier requirements will be approved for listing products with the LSSC program.

References & Links

vLSSC. True North Local/Sustainable Supplier Consortium Minneapolis. www.TrueNorthLSSC.com.

vLEED. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. www.usgbc.org àLEEDàRatingSystems.

vMN GreenStar. www.mngreenstar.org.

vFSC. Forest Stewardship Council. www.fscus.org.

vTNW. True North Woods®. www.TrueNorthWoods.com.

vDovetail Partners. www.dovetailinc.org.

vMinnesota Building Materials Database. www.buildingmaterials.umn.edu.

Information

For additional information, call 651-223-5629 or email Info@TrueNorthLSSC.com.

Minnesota Wood Campaign

Home of the True North Woods^® Certification Brand

Marketing Office: 26 E. Exchange Street, Suite 405 / St. Paul, MN 55101 / USA

Tel 888-223-5629 / Fax 651-222-5263 / Info@TrueNorthWoods.com / www.TrueNorthWoods.com

North Woods Workshop Series Presents

Two Free Workshops:

Websites Made Easy and Benefits of FSC Certification

The Website and FSC workshops are free  to the public and are designed specifically for woodland owners, loggers, primary and secondary producers, craftspeople, artists, and all others interested in learning more.

Websites Made Easy: how to use a blog to get up on the web

This workshop is designed for those who will never get a traditional website up and running (and those that have a website and never update it). No domain registrations, no annual fees, no programming. Just copy your text from Word and you’re on the web!

Having a presence on the Internet is becoming increasingly important for small businesses, part-time entrepreneurs, craftspeople, and artists. The Internet can be a no-cost advertising and sales vehicle once one knows how to use a blog as a website.

“If you can click a mouse, you can create a blog and get on the web” according to the presenter Sabrina Wille Erickson. Ms. Erickson maintains a website for her family’s wood business, owns a farm with her husband, and works in marketing and sales at a ski resort.

Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 p.m., Bemidji, 4111 Technology Dr NW (Beltrami Electric Coop)

Thursday, May 22, 7:00 p.m., Grand Rapids, 140 NE 2^nd Street (Library)

Benefits of FSC Certification: what, why, where, how, how much

This workshop is designed to provide information on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification programs and how woodland owners, loggers and primary and secondary producers of forest-based product in northern and central Minnesota can become involved in a group forestland management or chain-of-custody program.

The issue of FSC certification is of major concern to may of the region’s woodland owners and producers. “Builders, architects, lumberyards, and  homeowners are increasingly demanding green, specifically FSC, certification”, according the Kathryn Fernholz of Dovetail Partners, ”on the building products they purchase.” The new Minnesota GreenStar program and the growing use of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building rating system have created a new market demand for local FSC certificated forest-based products that is not being filled by local suppliers.

Later this summer the Minnesota Wood Campaign and Minnesota Wood Education Project will be offering woodland owners, loggers and primary and secondary forest product producers the opportunity to join a group certification program. The group certification program will be supplemented by a local-sustainable promotion campaign that will connect local FSC product suppliers with builders and architects in the upper mid-west region.

The workshop presenter, Kathryn Fernholz, is executive director of Dovetail Partners, a trained forester, and an expert on the FSC program. She will discuss what FSC certification is, why it is just now beginning to be demanded in the marketplace, where it is being used, and how northern and central Minnesota woodland owners and producers can become part of the program.

Tuesday, June 3, 8:30 a.m., Cook, 320 Hwy 53 (US Forest Service)

Tuesday, June 3, 2:30 p.m., Grand Rapids, 140 NE 2^nd Street (Library)

Tuesday, June 3, 7:00 p.m., Grand Rapids, 140 NE 2^nd Street (Library)

Wednesday, June 4, 8:30 a.m., Bemidji, 3801 Bemidji Ave North (BS Center for Research)

Wednesday, June 4, 2:30 p.m., Brainerd, 501 W College Dr (Central Lakes College #E203)

Registration 

While pre-registration is not required, those pre-registering will receive a free CD of the complete 2007-2008 North Woods Workshop Series presentations. One may pre-register by email at Info@TrueNorthWoods.com or call 1-888-223-5629.

Sponsors

The North Woods Workshop Series is sponsored by the Minnesota Wood Campaign, home of the True North Woods certification brand, and the Minnesota Wood Education Project.

Minnesota Wood Campaign

The Minnesota Wood Campaign, owned by wood and forest products producers and supported by its members, is a joint Marketing and Branding venture for the True North Woods^® certification brand and the products bearing the True North Woods^® brand. www.TrueNorthWoods.com

Long-Range Vision

The True North Woods^® certification brand will be recognized and appreciated by discriminating and demanding customers worldwide. This vision is supported by our commitment to sustainable forestry, the unique traits of our species, the high quality of our wood and forest products, our skilled production capabilities, and our tradition of craftsmanship.

Ultimate Goals

Add value to wood and forest products of Branded Members 
Expand number of high-value customers of Branded Members 
Increase sales and profits of Branded
Retain wood- and forest-related businesses and jobs in northern Minnesota

2008 Objective

To promote the True North Woods^® certification brand in order to:
Drive customers to True North Woods website
Drive website customers to contact Branded Members and purchase products bearing the certification brand.

The Value of Membership

Branded Members Enjoy
True North Woods^® Certification Branding 
Use of the brand on products and sales materials
Promotion of the True North Woods^® brand by the Campaign 
Brand-related promotional materials 
Participation in the True North Woods Network
Cooperative Marketing Opportunities 
Joint publicity and public relations activities 
Coop participation in advertising 
Coop participation in shows and events 
Premium Website listing and linkage 
Sales leads matched with customer inquiries 
Participation in supplier consortium
Training & Technical Assistance
Workshops and on-line Webinars 
FSC information and certification assistance
Marketing technical assistance
Information
Regular email news blasts
Website research and resources information

Supporting Members Receive
Training
Workshops and on-line Webinars
FSC certification information
Information
Regular email news blasts
Website research and resources information
Recognition as Supporter in:
Email news blast
Website home page

General Members Participate in
Training
Workshops and on-line Webinars
FSC certification information
Information 
Regular email news blasts 
Website research and resources information

The Value of Brand Marketing

True North Woods^® Brand Promise: “The True North Woods certification brand assures you that this product is a product of northern Minnesota.”

Target Markets for Promotions
Twin Cities & northern Minnesota 
Primary Audiences: End consumers 
Secondary Audiences: Architects, designers, builders

Key Promotional Messages
Local: A product of northern Minnesota
Green / Sustainable: A product produced from materials that originated in sustainably managed and harvested forests

Publicity & Public Relations
Advertising: Radio, billboards, newsletters 
Direct Mail: Mailings to consumers and others 
Shows: Coop participation with Branded Members 
Website: Renewed, updated, promoted, Branded Member premium listing and linkage

Delivering Customers Through
Website: Drive customers to contact Branded Members and purchase products
Workshops: Provide species and product information
Supplier Consortium: Network Branded Members and other suppliers to provide local and sustainable products for large-scale LEED projects
Buyer Assistance: Match customer inquiries with Branded Members by distributing sales leads

Join the Minnesota Wood Campaign Today

Contact the Campaign at Minnesota Wood Campaign / Home of the True North Wood^® Certification Brand / 26 E. Exchange, Suite 405 / St. Paul, MN 55101, USA / Tel 1-888-223-5629 or 1-651-223-5629 / Fax 1-651-222-5263 / Email Info@TrueNorthWoods.com  / Web www.TrueNorthWoods.com  

Minnesota Wood Campaign offers help and hope for Northern Minnesota Businesses

Contact: Gary Winget, 651-223-5629, Gary@TrueNorthWoods.com, or visit the Campaign’s website at http://www.truenorthwoods.com/.

On November 30, 2007, the State of Minnesota released a dim economic forecast, projecting a $373 million deficit for the 2008-09 biennium. The signs of an economic decline continue all around us. We can’t help but notice that the housing market has severely cooled and jobs are being eliminated.

In a time when northern Minnesota’s wood producers face evermore challenges marketing their products, one supportive group is getting ready to ramp up its promotion program for Minnesota forest products as well as its membership for 2008. The Minnesota Wood Campaign, organized in 2003, currently has over 140 general and branded members throughout central and northern Minnesota. But there are many more such businesses that could benefit from their market promotion programs.

The Campaign developed the True North Woods^® certification brand to enable its members to market their products as local and sustainable and position themselves as part of the growing Green Movement. The brand assures consumers that the products they purchase are made by people who care about their work and the forests, and are produced from materials that originated in the sustainably managed and harvested forests of central and northern Minnesot.

“The weakening of the housing construction industry and the prospects of a sluggish economy over the next year have made it even more important for artisans, producers, and manufacturers in the forest products industry to band together. We can help them aggressively market the unique traits of our northern wood species and the quality craftsmanship that goes into the products our members produce,” says Gary Winget, general manager of the Campaign.

The Minnesota Wood Campaign is launching its annual month-long membership drive on February 15. Artisans, primary and secondary producers, and manufacturers who produced products from materials that originate in Minnesota’s central and northern forests are invited to join the Campaign.

“The Campaign’s aggressive marketing program” noted John Rajala, president of the Campaign, “promotes the region’s True North Woods^® certification brand, and its members’ products bearing that brand, to discerning consumers, architects, builders, and others that value high-quality, locally, and sustainably produced products.”

Persons interested in more information about the Campaign may contact the Campaign’s marketing office at 1-888-223-5629, email