Louisiana-Pacific Corp. (LPX), which has three regional manufacturing plants, reported fourth quarter sales of $459 million, 47 percent higher than the year ago quarter. Full-year sales were $1.7 billion, 27 percent higher than during 2011.

Net income for the fourth quarter was $49 million, 34 cents per diluted share. For the year, the company's net was $32 million, 22 cents per diluted share.

“We are very pleased that LP is reporting both a profitable fourth quarter and a profitable 2012,” CEO Curt Stevens said in a news release. “The U.S. housing recovery picked up momentum in the fourth quarter, with annual housing starts at a seasonally adjusted rate of 954,000 in December. This increase in demand resulted in better OSB pricing and good performance in our siding segment.”

LP’s siding segment reported net sales of $117 million in the fourth quarter of 2012, an increase of 25 percent from $93 million in the year-ago fourth quarter. For the full year, siding reported sales of $501 million, up 17 percent from the prior year.

• Great Lakes vessel traffic down sharply - 5/20/2013
• DEED commissioner promotes Dayton's trade initiative - 5/18/2013
• Wisconsin's jobless rate unchanged at 7.1 percent - 5/17/2013
• Bent Paddle joins area craft brewing industry - 5/16/2013
• ALLETE: Solar initiative will raise costs for customers - 5/15/2013