The expanding global economy and formation of large international trad
ing blocks have combined to drive worldwide acceptance of ISO 9000, th
e international standard dealing with quality system requirements that
can be used for external quality assurance purposes. Although obtaini
ng registration under ISO 9000 has become a market requirement in many
industries, it is not yet so in the wood products industry, and more
specifically for manufacturers of structural composite lumber (SCL). M
anufacturers of SCL have increased their market share through a strate
gy that differentiates their products and services from commodity soli
d-sawn lumber. These strategies include the marketing of products with
brand names, providing design services and installation guidelines, a
nd providing after-sales support. ISO 9000 consists of three quality a
ssurance standards. ISO 9003 only applies to companies that provide fi
nal inspection and testing services. ISO 9002 includes quality compone
nts for production, servicing, and installation. Several North America
n commodity wood products manufacturers are already registered to this
standard. ISO 9001 includes product design and development. Maintaini
ng differentiation from commodity lumber products would require that S
CL companies seek registration under ISO 9001. This paper addresses th
e implications for SCL companies in obtaining registration to one of t
he three standards in the ISO 9000 series and discusses the advantages
, limitations, and costs of such a strategic endeavor.