Pacific Albus is managed and optimized throughout the supply chain to provide an environmentally sound, well performing, reliable and economical pencil wood
Pacific Albus® is a plantation grown hybrid poplar clone (Populus x.) utilizing state of the art technology, silvicultural management and irrigation processes developed by Greenwood Resources. As an “engineered” wood using genetically superior raw stock and proven forestry management practices, Pacific Albus is able to be optimized for available soil, local growing and climatic conditions as well as final intended product applications. As a short rotation species, Pacific Albus allows for shorter cycle times even in the temperate climate zone, which supports improved time to harvest as well as more rapid development and adaptation of timber performance characteristics to targeted market requirements.
Although it is a hardwood species, Pacific Albus® is a good alternative to many industrial, western softwood applications, and is ideal for a variety of uses comparable to Incense-cedar’s traditional uses, including pencil slats, moulding & millwork, cut stock and edge-glued panels. Some of the species key technical characteristics making it ideal for pencil slat and pencil production include:
- Lightweight, straight grain, medium to fine texture, very light in color
- Takes and holds paint and stain very well
- Ideal for machining, gluing, sanding, boring and turning
- Hypo-allergenic
- FSC 100% certification for enhanced social and environmental benefits
Because it is plantation grown, the quality of the product is consistent, uniform, and most importantly readily available under year round harvest and production operations.
Pacific Albus® is not subject to seasonal supply constraints generally associated with Incense-Cedar, Ecoslat® Basswood and other naturally occurring species utilized in the pencil industry. This allows for improved planning and efficiency throughout the pencil industry supply chain. This consistent optimized quality and availability is a very important distinction between Pacific Albus® and other plantation grown or naturally occurring poplar species used in the pencil industries which have much greater variation in wood density, poorer quality and technical performance characteristics.
Pacific Albus® is a registered trademark of Upper Columbia Mill, LLC (UCM), a partnership between Greenwood Resources, owner/operator of the Greenwood Tree Farm, and The Collins Companies, operator of UCM and a long time supplier of Incense-cedar logs and lumber to California Cedar Products. Greenwood Resources has extensive experience as owner and operator the foremost hybrid poplar breeding and research station in the United States and has become the premier manager of fast-growing, high-yield tree farms in the country. The Pacific Albus® trademark is licensed exclusively to California Cedar Products Company for use related to production and marketing of pencil slats and wood raw materials in support of CalCedar’s exclusive distribution agreement with UCM for hybrid poplar raw material made available to the pencil industry.