Sterling Solutions Announces a Breakthrough in Performance, Durability and Sustainability for Cross Laminated Timber Site Access Mats

Patent-pending “Dipping and Doweling” method dramatically reduces deterioration and enables peak performance for longer duration

PHOENIX, Ill., March 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Sterling Site Access Solutions, a leading construction site access provider and the largest producer of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) in North America, today announced a technological breakthrough in performance, durability and

sustainability for its site access mats. Its patent-pending “CLT enhancement” method dramatically reduces typical deterioration caused by moisture, heat and normal wear and tear, resulting in a mat that performs optimally for up to twice as long as traditional CLT mats.

About Access Mats
Site access mats are used to provide temporary roads and storage lots in remote and/or environmentally-sensitive terrain that enable the movement of heavy equipment, machinery, and supplies needed for construction. 

Sterling’s TerraLam® family of CLT mats are all constructed from sustainably-sourced domestic wood and manufactured in Illinois and Texas. Precision-engineered TerraLam mats are comparable in strength to the strongest wood mats, but weigh less, covering more lineal footage or surface per truckload, saving customers up to 50 percent on freight costs, installation time and reduced CO2 emissions.

Wood-based access mats are used in a range of outdoor environments where moisture, heat, and constant pressure from heavy equipment naturally weaken the mats over time. The new process reduces the impact of these forces, enabling mats enhanced with the new process to perform like new for dramatically longer periods of time.

About the New Process
The new enhancement is applied after the production of the TerraLam CLT mats. First, strategically located holes are drilled in the mat, which is then submerged in an environmentally-friendly treatment that absorbs into the wood. Then, hardwood dowels are driven into the holes to seal the treatment in while providing improved stability and endurance of the mat.

Sterling has produced more than 30,000 of these new mats using this process at its Lufkin, Texas facility. Several customers have piloted their use, and feedback on both performance and durability have been highly positive. While Sterling continues to test and analyze performance and durability metrics, the company has committed to bringing this new process to commercial scale.

Sterling is now installing a larger, fully automated manufacturing line to bring this process to its flagship Phoenix, Illinois manufacturing plant, with a completion expected in early summer, and commercial production shortly after that. This will enable the seamless integration of the existing CLT production process with the new “dipping and doweling” process.

Benefits
This new process offers customers three key benefits beyond the advantages TerraLam already brings to the marketplace.

• First, Sterling’s enhanced TerraLam CLT access mats simply perform better for longer periods of time. This means fewer mat swaps/replacements which cost time and money by disrupting planned operations. 
• Second, the dowels offer similar fastening capability as conventional fasteners, but eliminate the cost and hassle of removing metal bolts before end-of-life disposal into mulch. 
• Third, the CLT mats’ increased resistance to decay enables them to be used in regions where heat and humidity are prevalent, offering customers a new alternative to mats made from plastic or heavy hardwoods.
  

Together, these solve some of the major challenges faced by utilities and other industries that rely on matting for site access.

This enhancement concept was born in Sterling’s Innovation Lab, which is dedicated to advancing and scaling cutting-edge manufacturing techniques, materials and processes. By focusing providing solutions based on customer feedback, enhancing performance of products, and thoughtfully employing the latest technology, the Innovation Lab supports Sterling customers while unlocking new markets and creating novel applications for its products.

“This breakthrough in performance and durability will unlock a significant benefit to our customers,” said Kaye Ceille, CEO of Sterling Solutions. “This new treatment process is testament to Sterling’s culture of innovation and dedication to meeting the needs of customers. We’re thrilled to be able to bring this new option market in the coming months.”

About Sterling Solutions
Headquartered in Illinois, Sterling Solutions is America’s leading producer of Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) panels and systems. Our signature TerraLam® CLT product is constructed from sustainably-sourced domestic wood and manufactured in Illinois and Texas. Our Industrial Division provides complete turnkey CLT-based ground protection products and services to the transmission and distribution, renewables, civil and oil & gas markets. For more than 75 years, Sterling has innovated and delivered solutions that meet customer needs, create jobs and economic opportunity across the supply chain, and reduce the environmental impact of residential, commercial and industrial construction projects. More information is available at www.sterlingsolutions.com.