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 Softwood
Export Council Newsletter
November 2007
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2007 Exports thru August |
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Country |
Exports m3 |
Exports $ |
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China |
49,939 |
$21,812,000 |
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Taiwan |
27,361 |
$
9,998,000 |
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Italy |
13,323 |
$
6,727,000 |
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Mexico |
304,268 |
$80,626,000 |
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Spain |
33,755 |
$14,545,000 |
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U.K |
82,723 |
$27,071,000 |
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The
Bahamas |
91,360 |
$
9,913,000 |
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Philippines |
47,279 |
$22,216,000 |
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Dominican
Republic |
91,839 |
$20,055,000 |
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Japan |
109,920 |
$39,665,000 |
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American Softwoods Program Manager |
American Softwoods China Office is
pleased to announce Ms. Yin Ren
(Melody) will be hired as American
Softwoods' Program Manager based in
Shanghai. Melody will be
responsible for American Softwood's
marketing promotion activities in
China. A holder of Master degree in
International Business, Melody
graduated from Grenoble Graduate
School of Business in France.
Melody is currently working with US
Consulate Commercial Service in
Shanghai as a Commercial Assistant.
Prior to that, she worked with
South Australia Government Shanghai
Commercial Office as Business
Development Manager. Melody will be
on board as of Nov. 19th
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Northern European Market Report |
September is
the month when the timber trade to relative
normality in Europe. During this period the
timber trade together with the building industry
return to full activity.
As result of
the significant drop in volume of exports of
European softwoods to the USA, European
producers are dropping their prices,
particularly to the UK, where C16/C24 Whitewood
is being offered at £155/m³. Swedish u/s Pine is
being offered at around £215/m³.
It is
interesting to note that since the drop in
demand for timber products in the U.S. from
Germany and Austria, both these countries have
increased their exports significantly to the UK,
144% and 437% respectively
In the UK new
housing starts are up 3% compared with same
period in 2006. However, the latest forecast is
for a slowdown until early 2008 when it is
likely to start growing again.
Unfortunately, the decking market is suffering a
downturn in demand due to the very wet summer
that the UK suffered this year.
In Germany
construction activity has had and is likely to
continue with a sharp downturn for the near
future. The building of residential housing has
slowed down compared with a year ago. This has
resulted in an over supply of constructional
grade timber.
The timber
industry in Finland is forecasting a significant
downturn in the supply/availability of sawn
timber due to the fact that it's normal source
for logs, Russia, is increasing the levy on the
export of logs. The Finnish timber industry
anticipates a shortfall of 10% in the supply of
logs unless it can find a new source.
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IMPORTS OF U S
SOFTWOOD LUMBER BY COUNTRY - m3:
AUGUST |
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COUNTRY |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2006YTD |
2007YTD |
% Chg |
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AUSTRIA |
243 |
0 |
2 |
225 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
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BELGIUM/LUX |
9,346 |
6,210 |
4,053 |
7,177 |
8,075 |
6,705 |
2,377 |
-64.6 |
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DENMARK |
502 |
1,689 |
1,485 |
1,139 |
1,231 |
672 |
1,089 |
62.0 |
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FRANCE |
6701 |
5308 |
6824 |
6365 |
9941 |
7112 |
4227 |
-40.6 |
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GERMANY |
12,261 |
5,753 |
6,417 |
5,590 |
9,538 |
6,329 |
4,845 |
-23.5 |
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GREECE |
4768 |
1883 |
3610 |
2649 |
3025 |
1969 |
2135 |
8.4 |
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IRELAND |
3,719 |
1,366 |
2,006 |
3,111 |
6,044 |
4,330 |
1,761 |
-59.4 |
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ITALY |
31,950 |
15,476 |
22,096 |
21,660 |
21,111 |
13,162 |
13,321 |
1.2 |
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NETHERLANDS |
8,696 |
20,255 |
6,281 |
5,952 |
3,918 |
3,204 |
5,679 |
77.3 |
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PORTUGAL |
2,623 |
2,107 |
3,197 |
4,457 |
6,894 |
4,632 |
2,611 |
-43.6 |
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SPAIN |
78,660 |
50,435 |
55,025 |
72,678 |
79,496 |
52,837 |
33,755 |
-36.1 |
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SWEDEN |
8 |
131 |
789 |
1,227 |
667 |
243 |
1,239 |
409.9 |
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U K |
13,598 |
11,478 |
17,180 |
18,077 |
26,288 |
17,366 |
82,723 |
376.4 |
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TOTAL EXPORTS |
173,117 |
122,233 |
129,195 |
154,302 |
176,424 |
118,760 |
155,830 |
31.2 |
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China Codes and
Standards |
By Xu Fang
Development of Chinese Glulam
Structure Design Code
As one of the official members of the
Chinese code committee, AF&PA Shanghai
office submitted a proposal to the Chinese
code committee on Sept. 20th. The proposal
addressed the design requirements on
structural members, member connections and
calculation of fire resistance rating for
exposed timber members. All the practices
and methods provided in the proposal are
based upon the what have been specified in
codes, standards and technical documents
from US. The next working group meeting is
scheduled to be held late November. The
standard is expected to be released late
next year.
Development of Shanghai Light Frame Wood
Construction Specification
The Specification has been developed under
the MOU signed between BC and Shanghai
government in 2003. Aimed at providing a
design tool specifically dealing with wood
frame construction in China, the
Specification will provide design
requirements for wood frame construction
buildings up to three stories and
multi-family hybrid construction buildings
up to four stories. In addition, it is
planned that the Specification will also
provide design and construction requirements
on energy conservation and building
preservation. Headed by Canadwood, the
development of the specification has been
involved by engineers from local design
institutes and professors from local
universities. American Softwoods / AF&PA SH
Director was invited by Candawood to review
the document and provides inputs. The
standard is expected to be released mid
2008.
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Japan office highlights |
Shingu Shoko, LTD. Lumber Department. Osaka
branch office (HQ in Hokkaido ) is a
distributor and manufacture for floorings
and wood frames. According to Mr. Imoto of
Shingu Shoko, after they visited our booth
at ' Total Construction Material and Housing
Show 2007' in June 2007, they decided to use
Ponderosa Pine for floorings as their new
product. They imported Ponderosa Pine of
Clear '5/4, 6/4' manufactured by Malheur
Lumber, OR They have used Russian Red Pine
for floorings, however, it does not seem to
be supplied consistently in the future. Now,
they are tried to manufacture Ponderosa Pine
for replacements.
Meiken Kogyo (Meiken Lamwood Corp. in
Okayama prefecture) which is the second
largest glulam plant next to Chugoku Mokuzai
has started selling the glulam posts (105mm
x 105mm x 3m) made from LODGEPOLE PINE
LAMINA produced in the Pacific Northwest.
They have already manufactured 10,000-set of
glulam post made with Lodgepole Pine lamina
for trials.
By the end of September, about 1,000m3 of
Lodgepole Pine lamina will be imported to
Japan. In fact, they had experience in
using Lodgepole Pine. They found the
supplier in U.S. which could meet their
price, quality, and volume. And Lodgepole
Pine is similar to Red Pine. The sales
price of a single post made with Lodgepole
will be 100Yen less the Red Wood and White
Wood. They also use Japanese cedar lamina
for the glulam posts as well.
(by
Nikkan Mokuzai Shinbun September 4, 2007
issued)
Market Briefs
According to
MLIT, housing starts in August 2007 were
63,076 -unit. It decreased 43.3% compared to
the rate of August 2006. The main reason for
this lower rate was the confusions of the
revised Japanese building standard code
started in June, 2007. The housing maker,
builder, or architects were required to
submit the application to the local
government for the building permission. The
documents need to certify the strength for
the earthquake proof for the housings which
were above the 3rd story. The
annualized figure after seasonal adjustments
in August was 729,000-unit. The rate was the
lowest since the statistics started in 1965.
The wooden house ratio was 52.2%
(32,901-unit ) in August 2007. Even if the
wood house ratio was over 50%, the other
ratio such as pre-fabricated house and
condominium were extremely low. The number
of housing starts by Post and Beam system
was 25,663-unit minus 33.6% down compared to
August 2006. Plat form system (2x4) was
5,928-unit which 37.7% down compared to the
year of August 2006. MLIT assumed that this
housing starts would improve gradually after
the process of the new check system of the
earthquake proof for the revised Japanese
building code becomes more settled in the
near future.
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Upcoming Trade Shows |
November
- Maderalia
Furniture Industry Supplier Show, Nov 7-10,
Valencia, Spain
- Japan Home
& Building Show, Nov 14-16, Tokyo Japan
- Domuslegno
Wood Industry Trade Show, Nov 24-27, Rimini
Italy
- Big
5 Construction Show, Nov 25-29 Dubai, UAE
December
- Japan Lumber Importers
Association Dec 4, Tokyo
January
- ExpoMobiliario
Furniture Supply Trade Show, Jan 23-26
Mexico City, Mexico
February
- Dubai Wood
Feb 5-7, Dubai UAE (SOLD OUT) Waiting
list
- India Wood
Feb 29- March 4 Bangalore, India
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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: 503-248-0406
520 SW 6th Ave, Suite
810 Fax: 503-248-0399
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Softwood Export Council | 520 SW Sixth Ave, Suite
810 | Portland | OR | 97204
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