Mass Ply products (MPP) are massive, large scale, structural composite lumber based panel designed as an alternative to concrete and steel, and Cross Laminated Timbers (CLT).
CLT Products have been used in Europe for decades as a substitute for concrete construction and have been used in multi-story construction in the United Sates, with many building code jurisdictions allowing high-rise construction up to 18 stories! To ensure the safety of mass timber structures, mass timber panels in the United States must meet more stringent certification requirements regarding fire performance, quality control, and structural performance than similar European products.
Freres developed MPP to maximize the natural strength of the wood, while adding dimensional stability. It can be cut precisely to customers’ specifications using Computer Numeric Control (CNC) technologies.
Returning Cities To Their Roots
What Are Mass Ply Products?
Mass Ply products are patented, veneer-based, engineered wood products that provide superior performance characteristics over mass timber products such as CLT, Glulam beams, and solid sawn lumber. The building block of each Mass Ply Product is Freres Structural Composite Lumber (SCL), which consists of multiple layers of density-graded Douglas Fir veneers. These veneers are glued and pressed in a variety of combinations and orientations, and finally joined together to create 1” layers (called lamellas).
The versatility and consistency of our SCL lamellas provide the ability to create engineered mass timber products in a wide array of applications such as wide-format panels, beam and column applications, and just about any industrial application utilizing heavy timbers. Each of these product lines – Mass Ply Panels, Mass Ply Lams, and Mass Ply Industrial are certified by the APA- The Engineered Wood Association.
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Building the Future with Wood
The construction of multi-story, mass timber buildings is rapidly increasing for a variety of reasons.
- Wood is renewable and sustainable.
- Engineered wood products are stronger per pound than concrete and steel.
- Mass timber products perform predictably in fires and under seismic conditions.
- Manufacturing wood products requires much less energy and generates fewer greenhouse gas emissions than concrete and steel.
- Building with wood sequesters carbon for the life of the product, and new trees are planted to continue the carbon-sequestration process.
- Mass timber has greater thermal performance.
Mass ply products are forging new ground in mid-to-high rise construction, replacing steel and concrete in buildings up to 18 stories tall.
Why Mass Ply Products
We love wood, and building with wood has significant benefits over concrete and steel. Our Mass ply products have raised the bar for mass timber construction and can out-perform lumber-based mass timber in many ways.
- Slower char rate and more consistent fire performance.
- Superior performance over Cross Laminated Timber
- Better dimensional stability with lower moisture content.
- Can be used for primary structural element of a building.
- reducing volume and cost with our flexibility in panel dimensions and thickness.
Looking for more information? We welcome your inquiry!