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Softwood Export Council Newsletter
April 2010
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AMSO office in China |
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American Softwoods is pleased to announce that it has opened an office in China. AMSO, the
international marketing brand of APA-The Engineered Wood Association, Softwood
Export Council, and the Southern Pine Council has contracted with WG Consulting,
a firm composed of former AFPA China office employees, to provide representation
for the US softwood industry.
As in the past, the AMSO-China office will provide support for trade
shows, missions, seminars, and technical representation as required by the three
member organizations of AMSO. Contact information is provided:
WG Consulting Limited
Rm. 805, Tower 3, Wellington
Park
183 Huai Hai Road, Shanghai200030
Tel. + 86.21.6448.4401
Fax. + 86.21.3226.2978
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Interzum Guangzhou - China |
SEC members from PLEA, CIntrafor, and AMSO staff attended the Interzum
Guangzhou trade show held in southern China this past month. The show is one of
the two largest fruniture supplier shows in China with more the 50,000
attendees. Buyers from high end export furniture producers, China furniture
market producers, and international companies producing for the likes of IKEA
were at the show looking for additional sources of supply.
In addition to the trade show, AMSO staff arranged for trade visits to a major
wholesale distribution market housing 300 small companies selling logs, hardwood
lumber, veneer, softwood lumber and US low grade dimnension from a WWPA mill,
and a small furniture and door manufacturer producing limited, but high quality
products.
With the reduction of the Russian timber supply, China has become the new
market for low grade softwood for remanufacturing into furniture, millwork,
packaging and other uses. The China economy continues to strengthen and the
demand from domestic consumption continues to rise. This new demand is
stretching available softwood mill supplies and forcing some buyers to explore
higher grades to fulfill their supply needs |
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U.K. Market Overview |
By Eddie Pe arce
Recent trade service visits to leading of major timber importers, merchants and
timber product manufacturers in the UK are providing market information and
opportunities for U S softwood species in the UK market. The companies such as
International Timber and Oregon - Canadian Europe Ltd sells Douglas fir, Western
Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar (WRC).
M H Southern & Co Ltd is a major importer of large dimensioned timbers which
they sold historically to shipbuilding industry but now a modern requirement for
large timbers is now coming from the railway industry. Supply problems,
according James Southern, sales manager, is, that to supply the railway industry
with timber, certification of the timber is required. He cannot find any
supplier in the US who can provide such certification. He has in stock suitable
product from Hull Oaks but cannot use/sell it because of the lack of
certification. As consequence, he has to obtain his requirements from Germany,
where certification is available for the products he needs. If the US products
had SFI certification it would be acceptable.
Jeld-Wen UK is the UK division of the Jeld-Wen Inc. based in the U.S.A but have
independent responsibility for their own timber needs. Around 2000 Jeld-Wen
bought the out the largest UK wood window and door manufacturer in the UK, John
Carr Ltd. At their various sites in UK they produce a complete range of timber
window and doors. Although the majority of the timber they use is European
Redwood, they also use Douglas fir and Western Hemlock. Douglas fir is used in
the production of their premium grade window range and Western Hemlock is used
the production of external doors. According to Mr Pinder, Timber Purchasing
Manager, 2009 was a very difficult year with little or no house building taking
place in the UK , demand for their products dropped significantly. However,
indications are that, based on the number of orders placed during the three
months of 2010 from building companies the timber market appears to be
improving.
Timbmet is one of the largest timber importers in the UK, on a par with
International Timber. Primarily a hardwood importer they have over the past few
years increased their activity with high grade softwoods for North
America. Their volume of softwoods has increased but 2009 saw a down turn as was
the case for all of their activities. 2010 appears to be moving positively with
enquiries and orders at a higher level compared with the same period in
2009. Before the severe downturn in demand, Timbmet requirements for Douglas
fir, Western Hemlock and Southern Pine were running at a container per month per
specie per month. Although the levels at present for Douglas fir and Western
Hemlock have decreased, the demand for Southern Pine has virtually gone.
It is clear that the financial crisis which began at the end of 2008 and
continued through 2009 which resulted in all house building being stopped
affected the UK timber industry very severely and lumber demand has dropped
significantly. However, from the information obtained during the visits, most
of the people visited were optimistic for 2010. This was based on the positive
trading conditions that have been experienced during the first 3 months of the
year. |
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Expo Espacios 2010 |
By Fernanda Vale Garcia
Expo Décor Arq tradeshow took
place on February 25th-27th at the WTC. The show is
intended to reach not only the major players, but also architects, wholesalers,
decorators, finishing and interiors specialists, hotel and apartment builders,
remodeling, construction, and machinery and equipment vendors. This year edition
of the trade show had half of the last year exhibitors; nevertheless, the
attendance was as high as last year. On the down side, the quality of
contacts showed a considerable decrease. Espacios de la Construccion y
Arquitectura y la Maquinaria sponsored the show.
There were approximately 90
companies exhibiting; and 34 companies exhibited construction materials,
construction accessories, 13 magazines, 18 construction machinery. Only 3
companies, which retail furniture, exhibited and 12 different types of products
not related to the construction sector. There were 3 companies that sell lumber
among other construction materials companies either for concrete forming, for
furniture or either for houses or for generic construction. Also, we found 10
different chambers exhibiting, which are related to the construction sector, and
traditionally, sponsor the trade show.
This year, the attendants were fewer and eager to learn
about the usage of lumber for different applications in different type of
projects. They raised questions involved softwoods in sustainability projects.
Some attendees were looking for Ponderosa Pine as well as Douglas fir to
manufacture furniture and for indoor uses. The most requested species were SYP,
Ponderosa Pine and Douglas fir either treated or not treated. Few other people
requested Red Cedar and Oak. |
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Upcoming Trade shows and Seminars |
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April
- Dubai Wood 2010 April 13-15 Dubai (sold out)
May
US China Build Mission, May 10-14 (sold
out)
June
- US softwood seminar/reception -
Carrefour du Bois June 2-4 Nantes
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DesignBuild Australiasia June 23-25 Melbourne (almost full)
August
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Tecno Mueble 2010 August 19-22 Guadalajara
September
- FMC China 2010 September 7-9 2010, Shanghai
October
- Expo CIHAC October 12-16, Mexico City
November
- Japan Home & Building Show,
November 17-19 Tokyo
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Cancelled - Big 5 Construction Show, November 22-25 Dubai
~www.softwood.org/calender
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Softwood Export Council- Promoting the expansion of export markets
for primary and secondary softwood products manufactured in the United States.
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Softwood Export Council Phone: 503-620-5946
PO Box 80517 Fax:
503-684-8928
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1998-2010 Softwood Export
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PO Box 80517 Portland, Oregon 97280 USA
Telephone: 1-503-620-5946 Fax: 1-503-684-8928
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