Macdonald Report

 American Lumber System

The American Lumber Standards Committee and its Board of Review oversee the standardization, certification and accreditation for softwood lumber.

The first efforts to standardize lumber began in the 1920’s.  In 1941 the National Lumber Manufacturers Association (now the American Forest and Paper Association) entered into a consent decree with the U.S. District Court to create an impartial agency to oversee the lumber system.  In 1953, the US District Court found the ALSC and its Board of Review to be impartial bodies appropriate to carry out the decree.

The ALSC has operated under the consent as well as under Voluntary Product Standard system of the Department of Commerce.  On November 17, 1995, the ALSC was incorporated under the Articles of Incorporation of the State of Maryland.  The ALSC maintains its office in the city of Germantown, Maryland.

The ALCS membership is composed of producers, agencies, distributors, consumers and users of softwood.  This balance of representatives makes for a dynamic effective use of our forest resources, The ALSC provides methods of assigning design values sizes, moisture content requirements of lumber which are acceptable by building code authorities throughout the USA.

The National Grading Rule Committee is another part of the American Lumber Standard system.  The NGRC writes the national grading rules.  The Canadian National Lumber Grade Authority (NLGA) conforms to the National Grading Rule in its own rules for dimension lumber.

A vast majority of grade stamped Canadian softwood finds it’s way into the US market.  As a grading agency, Macdonald Inspection has a responsibility to fully understand the requirements for softwood lumber use in the US.  Macdonald Inspection is proud to be an agency accredited by the ALSC and to have the MI grademark used on lumber in the US.

The most important document for Macdonald Inspection and the mills using the MI grade stamp is the ALSC Enforcement Regulations.  All MI staff have copies of the regulations and are fully trained in understanding its requirements.  The Enforcement Regulations specify the duties of the grading agency and the responsibilities of the mills using the grade stamp.  For more information ask your MI grade inspector or call our office.

ALSC Annual Meeting

The American Lumber Standards Committee held its Annual General Meeting in San Francisco, California on November 7, 1997.  Reports were submitted by representatives from administration, Board of Review, Counsel, Building Code Task Group, National Grading Rule Committee and the Enforcement Sub-committee.  A significant addition to the ALSC Enforcement Regulation is Section 6.5, which states

“Section 6.5 – Each agency shall require its inspection staff to obliterate the grade marks on all below grade pieces found during any ALSC or agency inspection.”

In most cases, MI’s Inspection staff has been obliterating below grade stamps in the past.  The Enforcement Regulations now make it necessary to obliterate all below grade stamps at time of inspection.

  ALSC / CLSAB Funding

  The ALSC / CLSAB is funded by assessments on mill lumber production.  In Canada there is a $ .05 per MFBM assessment on “North American Production” figures, the assessments are collected by the agencies and passed on to the Canadian Lumber Standards Accreditation Bureau (CLSAB) which in turn share these funds with the American Lumber Standards Committee (ALSC).  These assessments are determined by the previous year’s North American production figures.  Notices are sent out to all Macdonald Inspection’s Grade Stamp subscribers at the end of the year requesting their “1997 North American production” figures.  On the same notice a request is made for “1997 All Production” figures to calculate the National Lumber Grades Authority assessment at $ .007 per MFBM.

New format in 1998

Beginning in 1998 the Macdonald Report will be moving from a monthly report to a quarterly report.  We appreciate the comments and feedback from our readers.  We encourage any one who wishes to submit an article to contact our office.  The first edition of 1998 will be published in March.

Holiday Greetings

The staff of Macdonald Inspection wishes all our readers a happy holiday and the very best in the new year.