Forest Products Laboratory

• Located in Madison, Wisconsin, since 1910
• Nation's only federally funded wood utilization research laboratory
• Currently employs 60 scientists
• Primarily or partly responsible for many of today's wood-based technologies, including wood preservatives, glulam beams, oriented strandboard, and fiber-based packaging
• Research partnerships located in virtually every state in the Nation

Early research highlights

• Reduced timber demand for railroad ties by 75% through preservatives research
• Increased average lumber yield per log from 25% to 60%
• Wood frame technology used in over 90% of our Nation's homes
• Designed and constructed Nation's first prefabricated home

Current research initiatives

• Nanotechnology
• Forest Biorefinery and Biomass Utilization
• Advanced Composites
• Advanced Wood Structures
• Underutilized Woody Biomass

Want to know more?

Technical tours are available by appointment for organizations interested in partnering with us. The general public is always welcome to visit our lobby to pick up informational handouts, read displays, and watch a video about our research. Click here to find out more information including how to sign up for our free quarterly newsletter.