, commonly known as "LP", is a building materials manufacturer. It was founded in
1973 and is based in
Nashville, Tennessee . Key products are
Oriented Strand Board ,
Decking ,
Molding and other trimming materials,
Vinyl and
Wood Siding , and other
Engineered Wood products.
As of 2005, LP has about 60 manufacturing plants in the U.S. and
Canada , and one in
Chile .
LP was founded in 1973 as part of a court-ordered monopoly breakup of
Georgia Pacific . LP was headed by company president
Harry Merlo for the first 22 years, who was known for his flamboyant style and generous civic contributions.
During the 1990s, LP was the defendant in a major
Class-action Lawsuit over its
OSB Siding product known as
Inner Seal , manufactured from the early 1990s through
1996 , due to its poor performance in humid environments. This product has since been replaced by other improved siding products. The deadline for filing suit passed in
2002 .
Much of LP's growth in the 1990s came through acquisition of other building materials companies, such as ABTco in the eastern United States and Forex in eastern Canada.
LP was headquartered in
Portland, Oregon from 1973 through 2004, when it moved the headquarters office to Nashville.
