Welcome to PPA – Structural Wood Society
(formerly Plywood Pioneers Association)

Preserving the Past for the Future

History. Legacy. Loyalty to the great tradition of our industry. These are the hallmarks of the PPA – Structural Wood Society.

So too is a commitment to posterity – those generations yet to come who will build on what we built for our industry’s future growth and prosperity. And camaraderie – the fellowship that results from shared experiences in pursuit of common goals and mutual interests.

PPA – Structural Wood Society was founded in 1964 as the Plywood Pioneers Association (PPA) at the suggestion of James R. Turnbull, then executive vice president of the American Plywood Association. A primary goal of the organization was and remains to foster “the bonds of friendship and fraternalism” among members of the industry.

In those days and for many years thereafter, the membership was comprised almost exclusively of representatives of the softwood plywood industry, commonly considered the original engineered wood product. But times change, and so have we. We recently amended our name to more adequately reflect the broad range of structural engineered wood products now manufactured in the U.S. and Canada. And our membership is open to representatives of companies producing all of those product categories in both countries – plywood, oriented strand board, glulam timber, wood I-joists, structural composite lumber, etc., as well as to the industry’s product, equipment and service suppliers and other stakeholders.

Whether you’re retired from the industry or still active, we encourage you to join us. Your membership will help support our historical preservation and scholarship programs, and provide you the enjoyment and rewards of shared experience and friendships.