News & Events

Sustainability

SUSTAINABILITY AND MATERIAL EFFICIENCY IS IN OUR DNA

The more we know about forests, the more we understand how important they are as a source of healthiest building materials on the planet.

Healthy forests are Earth’s most efficient mechanism for:

  • Scrubbing greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere
  • Absorbing and storing carbon
  • Producing oxygen, and
  • Buffering the effects of climate change.

As North America’s leading distributor of wood products, MJB takes seriously its role in ensuring a Climate Positive future through the intelligent use of building products and materials.

In addition to the inherent benefits of wood-based building materials, we are dedicated to continually improving our efficiencies and minimizing waste in the procurement, shipping and manufacturing of wood products, and in the operation of our facilities and offices.

We are also committed to helping our customers connect with their markets to promote the Climate Positive benefits of the products we sell.

One thing we know for certain: The responsible use of forest products is the most effective way to keep our planet, and its people, healthy for generations to come.

  • The chemical makeup of wood is 50% absorbed carbon, which isn’t released back into the atmosphere until it decomposes or burns. In use, particleboard and MDF can store, or “sequester,” this carbon for years, if not decades.
  • The particleboard and MDF sold by MJB in 2021 alone will sequester over 1.23 million metric tons of carbon.
  • Wherever possible, MJB works with its suppliers to size wood components before shipping, reducing fossil fuel use and better utilizing container and warehouse space.
  • Presized parts eliminate waste and maximize productivity for manufacturers.
  • We collate shipments of different parts and components based on customers’ JIT needs, reducing trips and minimizing warehousing
    • Customers get only what they need, just when they need it, with each delivery
  • MJB’s manufacturing plants sell 3,600 tons of sawdust every year for use as a chemical spill absorbent.
  • We also repurpose 900 million square feet of panel offal for packaging, jigs and spoil boards.
  • MJB offices and manufacturing facilities are saving 230,000 kilowatt hours every year with LED lighting…this amounts to about 10% of our consumption of electricity for lighting.
  • Waste reduction programs minimize material going to landfills and associated fossil fuel impacts.
  • Our plants use only the most modern, efficient computer-control machinery.
  • We recover 100% of our water-based paints for reuse; the only thing returned to the municipal water systems is water.
  • Our materials carry a range of ratings and certification, depending on their origin and makeup, including chain-of-custody certifications from FSC and SFI, the Composite Panel Associations Eco-Certified Composite for sustainable use of wood fiber, CARBII/TSCA Title IV and more.
  • All MJB suppliers must comply with the company’s waste reduction and responsible management guidelines.

Sustainability leadership is a never-ending journey. This is why every associate in our 18 locations is empowered to help us chart a course toward a greener future. At one plant, the layout is being transformed to reduce waste, material handling, and forklift traffic. At another, MJB plans to replace seven propane-powered forklifts with electric models, reducing C02 emissions by 146,790 pounds per year.

We know that no company or industry has all the answers. Even though wood products have so many documented advantages, there are many areas where our industry has opportunities to improve.

MJB is committed to using its influence with suppliers and manufacturing partners to drive further innovation toward greater efficiencies and creating a truly circular economy in the wood industry.