How is SterlingOSB Zero Made?

STERLINGOSB Zero is one of the most popular panel products used by the UK construction industry; developers, builders, and self-builders alike. It’s the go-to panel for a multitude of roles today – from the basic functional to the trendy aesthetic feature wall. But how is it made and what goes into it?

With the growing need to fully understand the impact of building materials on the environment- specifiers, architects and builders can now follow the creation of SterlingOSB Zero panels. From the delivery of timber at West Fraser’s state-of-the-art plant in Inverness right through the continuous line production process. West Fraser’s commitment to producing a sustainable product for the construction industry can be seen from sourcing locally grown timber. Thereby cutting embodied carbon from transportation while supporting the local forestry industry, through to the self-sufficiency of the plant where otherwise wasted product is burned on site producing the energy to manufacture the boards.

How is it made?

Logs delivered to Inverness are stripped of bark before being fed into a high-speed ring of blades which produces the flakes for the OSB.

Logs entering the bark “stripper”

The flakes are dried, separated and resins added. Sterling OSB Zero is the first OSB product to be made in the UK with zero added formaldehyde. This ensures an even ‘greener’ board that meets all standards with ease.

The forming line prior to entering the press

The flakes are then layered in specific orientation to give the boards their strong structural properties. The formed flakes go through a high-pressure and high-temperature press to produce the board.

Once cut, the boards are loaded on to the “star cooler” to release the heat from the panel.

Star cooler

Panels are then cut to size and quality checks carried out before the packs are taken to the warehouse for shipping.

The whole process can be followed on an informative video on West Fraser’s You Tube channel and on a downloadable information sheet from the Documents and downloads section of the West Fraser website.

West Fraser’s portfolio

West Fraser’s OSB portfolio comprises of SterlingOSB Zero OSB3 and SterlingOSB Zero Tongue and Groove. They are variants of the precision-engineered OSB3 board; BBA-approved and designed for humid conditions, the board contains zero added formaldehyde (ZAF) and is unique in the market by being the only ZAF OSB manufactured in the UK.  Produced in Scotland from forest thinnings taken from sustainably managed forests, the board is certified according to the guidelines of the FSC or PEFC. All West Fraser panel products produced in the UK are net carbon negative. They are also manufactured in mills that have obtained the coveted environmental ISO 14001 accreditation.

To find out more about West Fraser’s products for housebuilders, get in touch with Dan Clarke – email Daniel.Clarke@westfraser.com or download product brochures from the housebuilder page of the West Fraser website.

For further information, call 01786 812 921 or visit the website here.

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