Freres Wood Biochar Used in USDA Project on Microplastics Mitigation
LYONS, Ore., June 17, 2025 – Farmers, corporations and even cities in search of real climate solutions now have a powerful ally in a carbon-rich material called biochar, produced by Freres Engineered Wood. Known for their state-of-the-art Mass Ply Panels, Freres Wood has produced biochar, a byproduct of forestry waste, since 2021. With market momentum accelerating and new research underway in 2025, the company’s latest efforts could play a powerful role in global carbon removal strategies.
Freres Wood’s Mass Ply Featured in New Modular Housing Systems
LYONS, Ore., May 14, 2025 – Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply Panels (MPP) have entered the modular housing market, thanks to project partners LIT Homes and MODS PDX Inc. LIT Homes is manufacturing modular housing products with MPP for the unhoused population, disaster relief and refugee housing. MODS PDX Inc. is building a mass timber modular community in John Day, Oregon, called “The Ridge.” The roofs and floors for these units are made with MPP.
Freres Wood Unveils Mass Ply Finishes at Mass Timber Conference
LYONS, Ore., Apr. 14, 2025 – Freres Engineered Wood, a leading mass timber manufacturer,
introduced their updated collection of Mass Ply Panel (MPP) appearance grades at the 2025
International Mass Timber Conference (IMTC) in March. Attendees paid special attention to the
original Edge Grain and pre-burned Shou Sugi Ban appearance grades, both of which are
particularly unique in the mass timber industry.
Mass Ply: Solution for Rebuilding Homes Quickly and Safely After Wildfires
LYONS, Ore., Mar. 18, 2025 – As wildfires grow more severe and widespread, homeowners and developers are seeking fire-resistant building materials for residential construction, and especially post-wildfire rebuilds. Following rigorous, third-party testing, Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply Panels (MPP) provide an exceptional solution for fire hardening homes, offering a slower char rate and more consistent fire performance than concrete, steel and even some alternative lumber-based mass timber products.
OSU Publishes Report on Mass Ply Panel Point-Supported Slab Testing
LYONS, Ore., Feb. 13, 2025 – A new study from Oregon State University (OSU) confirms that Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply Panels (MPP) can now be used in a wider range of multi-family buildings, such as apartments, hotels and dormitories. OSU’s Research on Engineering, Architecture & Construction of Timber Structures (REACTS) Consortium conducted a series of tests with full-scale MPP to see how well they could sustain different structural layouts. Test findings, released on January 24, indicated that Freres’ point-supported slab allows the widest and longest column grid spacing with the thinnest panel compared to all other mass timber products.
Freres Donates $475K to Community in 2024
LYONS, Ore., Dec. 16, 2024 – The Freres Foundation and Freres Engineered Wood are proud to support local schools, nonprofits and their community, with charitable contributions totaling approximately $475,000 in 2024. This reflects the family’s long-standing commitment to give back to the community, which has cared for them for over 100 years.
Lane Community College’s Latest Education Center Will Open by Thanksgiving
LYONS, Ore., Nov. 12, 2024 – Lane Community College (LCC) in Eugene, Oregon, will open the Industry and Trades Education Center (ITEC) to students this Winter 2025 term. This innovative mass timber and steel hybrid building will provide a “workforce and advanced technology hub” focused on career technical education and apprenticeship programs. The primary structural components of the new facility are exposed steel beams and Freres Engineered Wood’s Mass Ply Panels (MPP), complementing the programs offered.
Freres Wood’s Latest Projects Demonstrate Wood Can Replace Steel and Concrete in Warehouse Construction
LYONS, Ore., Oct. 16, 2024 – This October 2024, Freres Engineered Wood celebrated the
completion of two significant buildings, Stayton High School’s new Ty Hart Memorial Fitness
Center and Freres Wood’s mass timber warehouse. Each project showcases wood’s capacity to
compete with traditional steel and concrete construction methods for industrial warehouse
projects, representing yet another sustainable improvement in the larger construction industry.
Cascada, Portland’s New Luxury Hotel and Spa, Will Feature Mass Ply
LYONS, Ore., Sept. 16, 2024 – Freres Wood’s Mass Ply products are making their way into
Portland’s luxury hotel scene this Fall. Cascada, Portland’s latest luxury hotel and spa, is
opening soon and will feature Freres Engineered Wood’s innovative Mass Ply products. Thanks
to a series of energy-efficient design choices, the state-of-the-art hybrid mass timber
development will achieve LEED Platinum certification, the highest sustainability ranking
available from the world’s most recognized green building rating system.