MSR Annual Workshop

April 30 - May 2, 2025 | Coeur d’Alene, ID

Thank you for attending the 2025 MSR Workshop

Begun in 1995, the MSR Workshop brings together members of the entire lumber supply chain, from production and grading to sales and distribution to end users, and offers a unique opportunity for participants to directly network and gain a broader perspective on the MSR market and opportunities for growth.

Read more about the 2024 Workshop as well as how this unique event has been a valuable experience for many over the past 20+ years:

Save the date and check back for more details about session topics and other activities as they become available.

Aerial photo of the Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort.

“Sometimes we don’t know what we don’t know. Getting together at an event like the Workshop gives everyone a chance to keep their ears open for new opportunities and ways to become more efficient.”
–Mike Momb, Hansen Pole Buildings

Wednesday, 4/30

Golf Outing
Social Hour
Independent Dinner

Thursday, 5/1

Educational Sessions
Mercer Mass Timber Plant Tour
Hosted Dinner

Friday, 5/2

Educational Sessions
Roundtable

Please note that the schedule of events is subject to change.

Hotel Information

The Coeur d’Alene Golf & Spa Resort
115 S. 2nd St.
Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814

Hotel Deadline: March 31, 2025

Note: To extend your stay before or after the Workshop, please contact Trish Kutz at 608-310-6768 or tkutz@qualtim.com.

Rates and Registration

	MSRLPC Member	Non-Member
Early-bird Rate (before 3/15)	$850	$950
Standard Rate (after 3/15)	$950	$1,050
Guest Rate	$150	$150

Not a member yet? Join Today!

2025 Workshop Sessions

Understanding European Lumber Markets & Imports to the U.S.

Speaker: Frank Turnbull, Mercer Timber Products

Get up to speed on the current state of the softwood lumber markets in Europe, including production levels and imports into the U.S. Our speaker will also look at how the war between Russia and Ukraine has effected the European lumber markets and what the future might hold for the U.S. market.

With 25 years of experience in the lumber industry, Frank Turnbull has been the Director of U.S. Sales for Mercer Timber Products in the Vancouver, BC area since 2017. He holds degrees from the University of Victory (geography) and British Columbia Institute of Technology (wood products manufacturing), as well as an MBA from McMaster University.

Sustainable Forest Practices for MSR Lumber Production

Speaker: Duane Vaagen, Vaagen Bros. Lumber

This presentation will examine how sustainable forestry techniques, such as selective logging and forest thinning, support both environmental health and the production of high-quality MSR lumber. Our speaker will discuss why small logs make better lumber, strategies for timber sales with MSR lumber in mind, and how product-focused logging practices contribute to the viability and efficiency of lumber mills.

As a third-generation lumberman and second-generation owner of Vaagen Brothers Lumber in Colville, WA, Duane Vaagen has spent his entire career in the forest products industry. He has been the President of the Company since 1980 and was a recipient of the Timber Processing Man of the Year award in 1982. Duane is widely considered to be one of the most innovative leaders in the forest products industry and has been an entrepreneur in the proposition that high speed small log processing, forest thinning, and conservation are compatible, possible, and sustainable.

Driving a Fundamental Shift in the Built Environment

Speaker: Janelle Leafblad, WoodWorks

WoodWorks, a non-profit organization that provides free project support, education, and resources related to wood design solutions of commercial and multi-family wood buildings, is actively initiating a significant and transformative change in the way buildings are designed and constructed. With a focus on sustainability, climate resilience, and improved quality of life, their staff works directly with developers, building designers, and construction professionals to support a shift toward wood within firms by incorporating innovative practices and technologies using wood products. WoodWorks Senior Director Janelle Leafblad will explore the way in which she and her team accomplish this on a regional level as well as driving scale in the national marketplace.

Janelle Leafblad is a licensed professional engineer, with a BS in Architectural Engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering and an MS in Wood Science and Technology from the University of California at Berkeley. She has spent the last two decades creating strong relationships within the wood design and construction industry, and now leads a dynamic and growing team of wood project specialists.

Analyzing Trends in the 2024 MSR Production Survey

Speaker: Crystal Gauvin, Forest Economic Advisors, LLC

Take a deep dive into the most recent MSR Production Survey with FEA’s Crystal Gauvin. Since the MSR Lumber Producers Council (MSRLPC) began tracking data in 1994, this annual production survey has become a valuable tool for both monitoring the progress of the industry in North America and promoting the use of MSR lumber worldwide.

FEA Senior Economist Crystal Gauvin has worked in the industry since 2008, previously specializing in forecasting housing, PB/MDF, and engineered lumber markets across North America. She is the primary author of FEA's Lumber Market Status & Trends newsletter and is responsible for FEA's Sawmill Profiles.

North American Macro, Housing & Lumber Markets: Where Do We Go From Here?

Speaker: Crystal Gauvin, Forest Economic Advisors, LLC

FEA’s Crystal Gauvin will help you gain a clear understanding of the U.S. economic outlook and its impact on the wood products industry. She will provide answers to questions about where the U.S. economy is headed and how residential construction markers will fare, so that you can better anticipate the effects of inflation, interest rate fluctuations, and housing market trends. In addition, Crystal will explore the future of lumber production in Canada and how timber supply constraints across North America could impact lumber markets in the year ahead.

Workshop Roundtable: Recapping the Relevant

Speaker: Dan Uskoski, Metriguard Technologies, Inc.

Join another lively discussion on the Workshop's most important topics! This roundtable is a great way to revisit the valuable content from other sessions or ask the questions you didn’t ask earlier (or get your question to Dan to ask anonymously, he'll ask anything). Then depart with a plan to integrate it into your business plans as we wrap up another valuable Workshop.

With almost 40 years of experience in the industry, Dan Uskoski is Product and Projects Manager for Metriguard Technologies based in Pullman, Washington. Dan has been an active member of MSRLPC for more than three decades and served as the organization's president from 2009 to 2013.

2025 MSR Workshop - Plant Tour

Mercer Mass Timber

Spokane Valley, WA

Mercer Mass Timber (MMT), is a is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mercer International, a global provider of renewable materials and energy. MMT produces cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (GLT) for the North American market at its three plants in Washington, Arkansas, and British Columbia. Participants in the 2025 MSR Workshop will tour their state-of-the-art facility in Spokane Valley, WA, which commenced production in August 2021.

The roughly two-hour plant tour generally follows the product’s flow through the factory, starting on the front end of the mill at the transverse high grader and sort bins, making its way through the production flow process, and finishing out at the post-CNC finished CLT panels/quality assurance lab. Attendees will enjoy a look at a variety of robust automation technology throughout the operation as well as one of the world’s largest CLT presses. The tour may also include a closer look at the modular house demo that was constructed with MMT’s partners at Green Canopy Node.

“Tours have always been an important aspect of the Workshop because it’s beneficial for CMs to tour other types of facilities where they can see the use of automation, labor, and other manufacturing processes they potentially haven’t seen before.”
–George Hamilton, Roseburg Forest Products

“The Workshop puts you in front of the right people in one place to get answers to your questions about MSR, whatever they might be.”
–Ross Harter, Drexel Building Supply

“I gained a lot of knowledge about what customers are doing in truss production, their progression in automation, and how that ties to MSR demand.”
–Andrew Guest, West Fraser

“We appreciate that the Workshop not only provides a venue for us to follow up with people in a focused, informal setting, it also covers a range of topics in a couple of days. It’s a good time to delve into specific topics with the people who are involved in the supply chain from start to finish and gain perspective on MSR and all that goes with it.”
–John Gerlach, North Star Forest Materials

“If you are new to the industry, like I am, the Workshop is a great place to learn. I learned something from every session and got a good foundation in a number of areas, especially about how MSR lumber is being used by component manufacturers.”
–Hunter LeCaire, Wildwood Trading Group

“Lumber is your #1 used item — you need to know what you’re buying and using. The knowledge I gain about the lumber market and the forecast for the coming year is invaluable to my business.”
–Sean Kelly, Automated Building Products

Cancellation Policy: Cancel by March 15, 2025 to receive a registration refund (less a $75 non-refundable processing fee). No refunds will be issued for registrations cancelled after March 15.