BOISE, Idaho, June 17, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As part of an ongoing long-term commitment to sustainability, Boise Cascade, L.L.C., announced it has achieved full certification to the independent Sustainable Forestry Initiative(r) (SFI(r)) chain-of-custody standard for all Boise Engineered Wood Products plants across North America.
Through SFI chain-of-custody certification, companies have a tracking system in place so they can tell customers the amount of certified, uncertified and recycled content in the forest products they buy, use or sell.
"At Boise Cascade, we've developed a comprehensive chain-of-custody system which allows us to track our inventory from responsible fiber sources," said Denny Huston, general sales manager of Boise Engineered Wood Products. "With chain-of-custody certification, Boise Cascade is strengthening our environmental commitment and helping our customers source engineered wood products from well-managed forests."
With more than 160 million acres (65 million hectares) certified across North America, the non-profit SFI sustainable forestry certification program is one of the largest in the world. Its standard is based on principles and measures that promote sound forest management including measures to protect water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat, species at risk and forests with exceptional conservation value.
"At a time when just 10 percent of the world's forests are independently certified, Boise Engineered Wood Products joins a growing community of companies, landowners and social and environmental organizations that have demonstrated their environmental commitment and leadership by achieving SFI chain-of-custody certification," said SFI Inc. President and CEO Kathy Abusow.
"Chain-of-custody certification means we will meet the market demand for forest products from responsible sources, which is good for our business and good for the forests," said Huston. Boise Cascade, L.L.C., doesn't own forests, but buys wood fiber in compliance with the strict procurement requirements of the SFI program for Boise EWP manufacturing centers in Alexandria, Louisiana; White City, Oregon; St. Jacques, New Brunswick; and Emmett, Idaho.
Boise Engineered Wood Products include wide-flange BCI(r) JOISTS and ALLJOISTS(r), VERSA-LAM(r) laminated veneer lumber for beams, headers and columns, VERSA-STUD(r) laminated veneer framing lumber, and BOISE GLULAM(r) beams. The products are manufactured from SFI-certified fiber sources. Boise Engineered Wood Products are stronger than dimension lumber while requiring less wood fiber.
About SFI Inc.
SFI Inc. is a 501c(3) non-profit charitable organization, and is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program (www.sfiprogram.org), which is internationally recognized and among the largest in the world. It is one of the fastest-growing forest certification programs with 160 million acres (65 million hectares) of SFI-certified forests across North America. The SFI Standard also includes unique fiber sourcing requirements that promote responsible forest management on all suppliers' lands and a chain-of-custody certification, which can communicate to buyers how much certified fiber is in a specific product. The SFI forest standard is endorsed by the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification schemes, a global umbrella organization that has strict requirements for endorsement. SFI Inc. is governed by a three-chamber board of directors representing environmental, social and economic sectors equally.
About Boise Cascade
Boise Cascade, LLC, headquartered in Boise, Idaho, manufactures engineered wood products, plywood, lumber, and particleboard and distributes a broad line of building materials including wood products manufactured by the company. For information, visit the Boise Cascade website at www.bc.com.
The Boise Cascade logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=2849
BOISE, BOISE CASCADE, BCI, ALLJOIST, VERSA-LAM, VERSA-STUD and BOISE GLULAM are trademarks of Boise Cascade, L.L.C., or its affiliates. SFI is a trademark of Sustainable Forestry Initiative Inc.