GL Veneer Invests $1.8M to Convert to Solar Power

Huntington Park, CA—GL Veneer, Inc. will install 1,600 solar panels on the roof of its 150,000-sq.-ft. headquarters plant in Huntington Park, CA.

The $1.8 million investment in clean, renewable energy will generate more than 1.2 million kWh of power every year, providing 95.48 percent of the electricity required to run veneer manufacturing and warehouse operations.

“We have a lot of machinery and hope to show the rest of the industry the next evolution in conservation,” says GL Veneer VP Dan Levin. “Installing solar panels is a win for the environment and a win for our company.”

The proactive move reinforces what the company sees as its role as an industry leader in the responsible management of the earth’s resources, and positions GL Veneer for greater, more competitive growth for years to come.

Effectively saving the company an estimated $7.2 million over the next 30 years, Levin says the capital investment will have a profound impact on GL Veneer’s business, and on competitive pricing for its customers. “We will be able to bring the cost of production down to be able to compete in the California market,” he says. The competitive veneer market is among the largest categories of exhibitors at IWF 2022, with 97 companies offering veneer and veneered panel, as well as veneer clipping, laminating and pressing machinery.

GL Veneer’s solar move also will have a significant positive impact on the environment. Based on the EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalences Calculator, 1.2 million kWh provides roughly enough clean energy to power 156 homes per year. Put another way, the impact is the same as removing 186 cars from the roads, eliminating 96,471 gallons of gasoline usage. In terms a wood veneer company might use, it is the equivalent effect of reducing CO₂ as a 1,050 acre forest, sequestering carbon comparably to planting 28,350 trees over 20 years.

Founded in 1977, GL Veneer was one of the first companies in the plywood industry to be FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified, and has become one of the most trusted, eco-conscious, responsibly sourced and reclaimed wood suppliers in Los Angeles, the West Coast, and the world. A family-owned and operated company for three generations, GL Veneer specializes in the production of custom plywood, architectural plywood, sheet veneer, and live edge slabs. Its 200+ species inventory has been the trusted source for individual customers, homeowners, designers, and architects, as well as leading brands worldwide, including Starbucks, Apple stores, Google, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, JBL, Fender Guitars, Microsoft, and The Gap, among others.

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