RISI study finds 21 structural panel mills at risk of closure

BOSTON, MA, Sept. 26, 2007 - RISI, the leading information provider for the global forest products industry, today announced the publication of a new study analyzing the North American structural panel market. The study, North American Structural Panel Risk Study, provides a risk assessment for each of 144 North American structural panel producing facilities. The 66 OSB and 78 plywood mills have been grouped into one of three categories: high, moderate and low risk. Rankings were determined through an evaluation of each mill's cost position, product mix, manufacturing flexibility, market prospects, fiber availability, fiber procurement competition and geographic risk.

"In time, equilibrium, or something close to it, will be achieved once again in the North American structural panel market," said Jesse Neese, Project Manager for RISI's Wood Products Cost Benchmarking Service. "The housing market will rebound and demand for structural panels will increase. Unfortunately, many plywood mills and a few smaller capacity OSB mills will most likely have to close along the way."

For more information or to order RISI's North American Structural Panel Risk Study please, call (+1) (781) 734-8900 or visit www.risiinfo.com/panelrisk.

About RISI

RISI is the leading information provider for the global forest products industry. They work with clients in the pulp and paper, wood products, tissue, timber, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries to help them make better decisions.

Headquartered in Boston (Bedford), Massachusetts, RISI operates offices in Brussels, Belgium; Atlanta, Georgia; San Francisco, California; Portland, Oregon; Charlottesville, Virginia; São Paulo, Brazil; Shanghai, China; and Singapore. For more information, visit www.risiinfo.com.