LP Building Solutions Opens LP Innovation Center at University of Minnesota Duluth

LP Building Solutions opened the LP Innovation Center at the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) at the University of Minnesota Duluth. The facility officially opened on June 21, 2023.

What the center is for

The LP Innovation Center is an industry-university collaboration. It is focused on sustainable technology in engineered wood products and applications. LP says the center will support new product development and future growth.

Facility features

• Full-scale mock house
• Display wall
• Small-scale fabrication shop

These features support evaluation and testing of installation and application methods for engineered wood home-building products.

Products and timeline

LP said the center will help advance future LP SmartSide Trim & Siding and LP Structural Solutions products. The company said these products are expected to be released within the next five to 10 years.

Partnership with NRRI

The center will work with NRRI’s building science and engineering teams. LP said the collaboration will combine NRRI’s scientific and engineering expertise with LP’s local knowledge near its SmartSide siding mill in Two Harbors, Minnesota.

People quoted in the article

• Jason Ringblom, LP Executive Vice President and General Manager of Siding
• Tim White, NRRI Director of Partnership Development
• Jimmy Mason, LP Executive Vice President and General Manager of OSB

Event attendees

• Tony Hamill, LP Vice President of Siding Operations
• David McMillan, University of Minnesota Duluth Interim Chancellor
• Rolf Weberg, NRRI Executive Director

Key point

LP said the center will help demonstrate how LP Structural Solutions and SmartSide products can protect homes in new ways while supporting research, development, and product testing.