What? No more Extira

[rookie432]

O.K. I know we have all complained about extira a bit but didn't we decide it was kindof a necessary evil. I just talked to my supplier and they said DOW just closed the extira plant???

can Anybody confirm that?

Bill

[andyb]

Bill,
I talked to the Extira Rep at IWF today and she said that someone got the rumor started on another forum. Dow is NOT closing the Extira plant but another composite plant located in Oregon I believe it is.

Andy B.

[jerry_hills]

Extira is produced by CMI and is not affiliated with Dow in anyway. Extira has been available since 2002, has never experienced supply issues and is readily available. The product is offered in 5 thickness and 3 standard panel sizes. Visit the CMI website at www.extira.com (http://www.extira.com) for detailed information.

[rookie432]

Sorry guys I got some bad info from a distributor no less. That Is how rumors get started. I was really glad to hear I was wrong about this

[mikek]

Dow Bioproducts shut down production of "Woodstalk", an MDF type of material made from wheatstraw. The plant was in Canada. Bob Rosendahl of The Router Workshop used this product in his demontrations and gave me a sample of it 4 years ago at IWF. Looked and smelled like a great product. No formaldehyde in it and had very similar properties with regular MDF.

Here is the article announcing it.
http://www.dow.com/bioprod/buy.htm

[harryball]

How much is a sheet of Extira and where is a source in Georgia (Atlanta area) that will sell it in small quantities? Dixie won't quote a price and want's $5000/month in volume and none of the small suppliers own up to carrying it.

Neither the orange or blue home improvement stores even know what it is or anything like it.

Robert

[beacon14]

Have you tried Atlanta Wood Products? It's been a while but I bought some there a couple of years ago - I still have a sheet left if you only need one - and my minimum is only $3,000!

[andyb]

Robert,
I got 2 sheets from Builders FirstSource here in Gainesville. I called DixiePly and they gave me a distributor in my area. I drove down and picked it it up myself in Duluth to save a $35 delivery fee. I paid $65 per sheet. DixiePly's website is www.dixieply.com (http://www.dixieply.com). You can't purchase from DixiePly unless you order a pallet or more.

Andy B.

[harryball]

Thanks, That's good, I can live with Gainesville.

I was NOT impressed with Dixieply and after my first taste. I'm inclined not to do business with them. After talking to a few people I've decided to write off this first experience as a bad sales rep and maybe try again.

You say they offered to let you buy a whole pallet? Was that without ongoing commitment? I offered to buy a full pallet (I think that was 40 or 50 sheets) then I was informed I had to commit to $5000/month or they "would not be interested in doing business with us." Gee, that's a negative way to put it.

I'm not opposed to making large single purchases and I have a weather tight storage container on site. My real plan here is to purchase full pallets of each type of ply I use the most and have it delivered. What I can not do is promise I'll be back next month wanting another $5000 worth.

Anyway, I'll find a 10 sheet at the time supplier and stick with it for a while.

Robert

[patricktoomey]

I had the same experience with Dixie Ply. I tried to buy a unit of 3/4 prefinished ply and a unit of 3/4 unfinished birch and I was told basically that I wan't big enough to worry about because I wouldn't need that much every month and my shop is on my personal property rather than in an industrial area. I told them I could pick it up but they still didn't want my business. I ended up going with McEwen Lumber which is part of Hood Industries. They were happy to sell me as much or as little of anything I want and they deliver it the next day. It's amazing that there are companies out there that are so big that they can just pick and choose the largest potential customers and blow everyone else off. Now that I am buying a unit or two per month I'm sticking with who treated me right and will not ever try Dixie Ply again.