Roseburg lumber is Made in USA
There is just something different about our lumber from both Dillard, OR and Weldon, NC.
Did we change the product or the offering? No.
Did we make a change to our manufacturing process? No.
But we are now able to tell you that our lumber is Made in USA.
You’ll see this messaging reflected on our lumber products, packaging, and marketing materials.
Why the Change? Couldn’t you say that before?
Roseburg was founded in the United States and continues to operate in the U.S. and Canada, so you may be wondering why we haven’t been saying this all along. The “Made in USA” claim is (understandably) a little more complicated than it seems on paper. It is a legal claim regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and in order to make the claim that a product is made in the USA under current FTC guidelines, “all or virtually all” of the labor and materials in the product must be domestic.
What does “all or virtually all” actually mean, though? To substantiate a Made in USA claim, internal systems must be in place to track, measure and monitor each of the individual product inputs to ensure that consistently 90% of the final wholesale value of the product comes from U.S. sources (this number is 95% in California).
For some products, ensuring that consistency can be challenging, especially since Roseburg also operates in Canada. For a product like softwood plywood, for example, certifying a Made in USA claim involves evaluating the origin for each veneer and the ingredients in the resin, synthetic patches, and sealants, when applicable. Compiling and evaluating each of our compositions, grades, and species is a large undertaking for a product group like softwood plywood, where the various ingredients (or product inputs) come from a variety of sources. This is further complicated by challenges related to inconsistent ingredient disclosures across the supply chain. We expect that this will change in the future as more industries and companies hop onboard the ingredient disclosure train.
Lumber, however, is a straightforward product. The input is singular: a log. And we know that all the logs that feed our two sawmills are sourced from sustainably managed domestic forests – many of which come from our own timberlands (to learn more about Roseburg’s managed forests click here).
Is This Related to the Buy American Act?
Yes and no! The Buy American Act (BAA) is a longstanding U.S. federal legislation that promotes the procurement of domestic goods by the federal government… but it does not require them. Made in the USA, on the other hand, is a marketing claim, and usage of this claim must adhere to the FTC’s policy for that claim. For a list of Roseburg products that qualify as “domestic end products” and “domestic construction materials” under the BAA, click here.
Why Does it Matter?
So, Roseburg lumber is Made in the USA – who cares?
Well, we do. As a manufacturer founded in the United States and operating in North America, we’re excited to be able to make this claim about our lumber products. When you buy Roseburg lumber, you can rest assured that the wood you’re buying was grown responsibly and sustainably, all right here in the United States of America. This is why you’ll see this information proudly displayed on our products, packaging, and marketing materials for lumber.