LP Building Solutions (LP) announced the grand opening of the LP Innovation Center. The facility, located at the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) at the University of Minnesota Duluth, marks a significant milestone in LP's commitment to growth, innovation and sustainability, emphasizing its focus on driving future growth through new product development.
In this unique industry-university collaboration, the LP Innovation Center seeks to advance the use of sustainable technology in engineered wood products and applications to move the building materials industry forward. The facility provides a controlled environment for rigorous evaluation and testing in partnership with NRRI's building science and engineering teams, enabling LP to achieve its ambitious roadmap of future LP SmartSide Trim & Siding and LP Structural Solutions products slated for release within the next five to 10 years.
The center features a full-scale mock house, display wall, and small-scale fabrication shop, allowing LP to evaluate and optimize installation and application methods for engineered wood home-building products. Additionally, the center is designed to be a collaborative environment for LP's team, NRRI scientists and engineers, and key customers to develop new products.
By establishing the LP Innovation Center at NRRI, LP can leverage the scientific and engineering expertise of NRRI's professionals. Additionally, the center benefits from the local knowledge of the LP team, given its proximity to LP's SmartSide siding mill in Two Harbors, Minnesota.
"The LP Innovation Center provides a distinct platform to demonstrate how our cutting-edge LP Structural Solutions and SmartSide products can be combined to protect homes in new and innovative ways," said LP Executive Vice President and General Manager of OSB Jimmy Mason. "By leveraging the collaborative space, we can conduct research, develop solutions-driven products, and showcase the exceptional performance that our portfolio delivers to the market."
LP Building Solutions (LP) is a leading manufacturer of high-performance building products.
