Key facts
- LP Building Solutions' role in engineered wood products and homebuilding is the subject of a USA Today documentary segment.
- The segment, premiering July 2, details LP's development of oriented strand board (OSB) and its impact on residential construction.
- LP introduced OSB as an alternative to plywood in 1979 and launched LP SmartSide Trim & Siding in 1997.
- The company emphasizes its sustainability efforts, stating 91% of its 2024 North American net sales came from carbon-negative products.
- LP reported $2.7 billion in revenue for 2025 and a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity since 2019.
LP Building Solutions' contributions to the evolution of engineered wood products and American homebuilding are highlighted in a new USA Today documentary segment as part of the publisher's 'America 250' series.
The segment, which premieres July 2 on USAToday.com, examines how LP's development and commercialization of oriented strand board (OSB) and other engineered wood products have influenced residential construction over the past five decades.
Founded in 1972, LP helped transition the market from plywood to OSB structural panels, establishing North America's first OSB mill in 1979. OSB, made from smaller, fast-growing trees, offered a more uniform and resource-efficient alternative to plywood, eventually becoming the standard in residential construction and now dominating the structural panel market.
LP further expanded its engineered wood platform with the launch of LP SmartSide Trim & Siding in 1997, providing builders and remodelers with a wood-based option competitive with fiber cement, vinyl, and traditional wood siding.
The feature underscores how material choices in homebuilding have adapted to labor, cost, and performance pressures, with engineered wood systems becoming crucial for framing, sheathing, and exterior assemblies. This comes amid a significant nationwide housing shortfall and an aging housing stock, indicating sustained demand for new construction and renovations.
LP Chief Executive Officer Jason Ringblom stated, "Our focus has been on improving how homes are built and how they perform. We see sustained demand for solutions that advance innovation, sustainability and performance across the industry, and we will continue to meet that demand."
Recent product innovations include LP SmartSide ExpertFinish Naturals Collection Siding, offering prefinished options to reduce jobsite labor, and LP BurnGuard Fire-Retardant-Treated OSB, designed to meet fire-retardant wood structural panel requirements for various building codes. These integrated solutions aim to enhance structural performance, moisture management, energy efficiency, and code compliance.
LP also used the spotlight to emphasize its commitment to carbon and forest management, reporting that carbon-negative products accounted for 91% of its North American net sales in 2024. The company has reduced its Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 50% since 2019. LP reported $2.7 billion in revenue for 2025 and employs approximately 4,300 people across its more than 20 manufacturing facilities.
The 'America 250' series highlights U.S. businesses' contributions to economic and technological progress leading up to the nation's 250th anniversary in 2026. LP's inclusion positions building materials alongside more commonly recognized sectors like automotive and technology.