The 10th Panel & Engineered Lumber International Conference & Expo (PELICE) convened on April 16–17, 2026 at the Omni Atlanta Hotel on Centennial Park, drawing 470 industry professionals, 95 exhibitors, and 41 speakers. Co‑hosted by Panel World and the Georgia Research Institute, the biennial event—first launched in 2008—offers a pulse check on the worldwide wood products sector, including veneer, plywood, OSB, MDF, particleboard, engineered lumber, mass timber, and value‑added wood products. The target audience consists of executives and decision makers from 25 producer companies, with a focus on those leading strategic, cultural, and operational initiatives within the panel and engineered lumber markets.

Keynote speakers highlighted the industry’s trajectory and investment priorities. David Neal, Executive Vice President of Building Products at Georgia‑Pacific, opened with a message on culture and long‑term value creation, emphasizing the company’s “Principle Based Management” framework and the importance of people development. Rob Johnson, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing Operations at Boise Cascade, outlined the firm’s focus on core strengths and an integrated distribution model that stabilizes performance amid market volatility. Jim Salchenberg of Roseburg presented a capital‑investment strategy that delivered 400 projects totaling $1.1 billion within 3 % of budget, stressing disciplined budgeting, scope protection, and cost discipline. Lofton Beasley of Weyerhaeuser framed engineered wood products (EWP) as a structural shift, citing labor shortages, demand for speed, and prefabrication trends that drive adoption of engineered solutions. Chris Beard of John Burns Research provided market analysis, noting the near‑term drag of new construction but a rebound forecast beginning in 2027, driven by aging housing stock and rising home equity. Guillermo Velarde of AFRY Management Consulting discussed broader structural changes, including OSB’s share gain, plywood substitution pressure, and MDF capacity expansion, recommending operational efficiency, supply‑chain optimization, and product diversification.

The program featured deep‑dive sessions on artificial intelligence in manufacturing, catastrophe and risk management, wood fiber sourcing and optimization, veneer and plywood production advances, fire and safety technologies, mass timber construction, and energy use and emissions reduction. In addition to keynote presentations, the expo showcased 95