Ray Wheeland, Wheeland Lumber Co., Liberty, Pa. Marshow and James Hsieth, Collins Cos., Portland, Ore.; Brian Lio and Jessica Zhi, GreenWoodResources, Portland, Ore.; and Kevin Paladino, Collins Cos., discuss Pacific Albus products withguests.

Vol. 37 No. 6

The Import/Export Wood Purchasing NewsP.O. Box 34908Memphis, TN 38184-0908

Address Service Requested

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAID

MEMPHIS, TENN.PERMIT 270

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Additional photos on pages 12 & 14

Additional photos on page 16

New Orleans, Louisiana–The International Wood Products Association (IWPA) 55thConvention, held here, drew more than 260 industry leaders from 25 countries. Speakersprovided detailed information on legislative, regulatory and international trade compliance

By Wayne Miller

NAWLA Vancouver Regional Explores China Market, Updates MembersAmong the guest speakers was Jim (Zhenwu) Jia, president of LJ Resources Co. Ltd,located in Vancouver. Jia spoke at length about the lumber industry in China. He noted thatby 2026 China’s GDP is likely to exceed the U.S.’s and that urbanization in China may lead

Domotex/Interzum Showcase American Wood In China

Vancouver, British Columbia–Guests and members of the North American WholesaleLumber Association met here recently at the Vancouver Club to hear a host of guestspeakers and to network among peers.

Continued on page 15

Continued on page 13

Additional photos on pages 10 & 12 Continued on page 13

Shanghai, China–Domotex Shanghai and Interzum Guangzhou proved to be hallmarkevents for American hardwood and softwood producers this year.The mood among 1,500 exhibitors at Domotex was much more vibrant and energetic

Dubai Strongly Features U.S. Hardwoods, Softwoods

June/July 2011

By Wayne Miller

Ted Dergousoff, Brad Flitton, Leah Jones, Russ Nixon and Nathan Tellis, Western Forest Products,Vancouver, B.C.

Dick Jones, Terre Jones and John Burch, The Teal-Jones Group, Surrey, B.C.

issues as well as economic and market projections.A leading New Orleans architect and a special session with the American Institute of

Architects New Orleans chapter solidified closer relationships between IWPA and the

Graziano Pasqualetto, Romea Legnami S.p.A., Venice, Italy; Don Thompson, Thompson Mahogany,Philadelphia, Pa.; and Alan McIlvain, Alan McIlvain Co., Marcus Hook, Pa.

Additional photos on page 16 Continued on page 13

IWPA World of Wood Convention Advances Market Opportunities

By Michael BuckleyDubai, UAE–The Dubai Wood Show went ahead this spring as normal, despite any tur-

bulence in the Middle East and amid a relatively optimistic atmosphere in which most woodtraders claim that the worst is over and there are signs of recovery. Some players have dis-

Jennifer Brand, Bridgewell Resources LLC, Portland, Ore.; Jonas Israel, McCorry & Co. Ltd., Malaysia; and MaryJane and Tom Lucas, Bridgewell Resources LLC

management, partic-ularly the small-scaleharvesting that istypical in theAmerican hardwoodforest. Species likedeer, bear, numer-ous song-birds,grouse, and turkeybenefit from the feed-ing and low-levelground cover provid-ed by a newly cut for-est. Harvesting ofmature trees alsoforms a critical part of managementregimes designed to reduce the risks ofwidespread pest and fire damage. Now sci-entific studies are showing that the carbonstorage potential of forest land can best bemaximized by harvesting mature trees tosupply markets for long-lasting timberproducts such as construction, flooring andfurniture. And perhaps more to the point,in areas where population is high or rising,active management of forest resources isessential to ensure resource values aremaintained and to discourage conversionto other uses such as urban developmentor the establishment of fast-growing mono-culture plantations for the production ofpulp or even bio-fuels.So, where is the silver lining in all of this?

Increased export availability. Recent yearshave seen exports as a percentage of U.S.production climb rapidly. In fact, an esti-mated one-third of all graded hardwoodlumber from the U.S. is now exported.Growing foreign demand is vital to the longterm health of our industry AND ourforests. As Asian and other globaleconomies continue to increase theirappetite for environmentally-friendly mate-rials, the U.S. hardwood industry has thepotential to ramp up production to satisfythis demand without straining our forestresource. That is certainly a “win-win”proposition for all involved.

•

“…there is growing concern that the U.S.hardwood forest resource is now seriouslyunderutilized.” That was the rather startlingconclusion drawn by the United NationsTimber Committee in the recently pub-lished UN/ECE 2010 Forest ProductMarkets Annual Review. At a time whenglobal demand for commodities is risingsharply–led in by exploding middle classesin Asia, India and Latin America– andwhen there is a critical need to shift theemphasis to sustainable carbon-neutralmaterials, it seems crazy that the world’slargest and most diverse hardwoodresource is currently being “underutilized.” A closer look behind this phenomenon

reveals some interesting trends. The latestUnited States Resources Planning Act(RPA) assessment published in 2010demonstrates the remarkable fact that overthe last 50 years, the inventory of hard-woods standing in U.S. forests has morethan doubled as harvesting levels haveremained well below the level of growth. Atthe same time, production of sawn hard-woods in the U.S. has declined steadilyover the past decade, from a peak of justover 31 million m3 in 2000 to under 22 mil-lion m3 in 2010 according to the UN. Themain factors contributing to this reductionare well-documented. Opportunities in theU.S. domestic market have been under-mined by the long-term decline of theNorth American furniture and flooringindustries as globalization has led toincreased availability of less-expensiveimported products. More recently, the eco-nomic crisis and collapse in new homeconstruction, remodeling and commercialconstruction along with increased substitu-tion of cheaper MDF and substitute prod-ucts have put a dent in hardwood flooring,component and molding sales. Many well-meaning (if less well-informed)

environmentalists may welcome declininglevels of harvesting in the U.S. hardwoodforest in the mistaken belief that this con-tributes to long-term forest preservation. Ifonly it were so simple. A wide range ofwildlife species actually benefit from active

Page 2 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Obama Administration JoinsCongress in Formally Recognizing

Wood as Green

After months of work, the HardwoodFederation successfully achieved greenrecognition for wood from Congressthrough the passage of House and Senateresolutions (in 2009 and 2010, respective-ly). Those resolutions specificallyacknowledged that the AmericanHardwood industry sustainably managesan environmentally preferable naturalresource and that Hardwoods should notbe discriminated against in governmentprocurement programs.After many more months of work and

negotiation with the U.S. Department ofAgriculture, the Obama Administration hasalso agreed on the merits of wood as agreen building material.The industry has long complained that

wood and wood-based products are notgiven appropriate credit for their renewableand environmentally friendly qualities ingreen building design and construction.Today, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack

announced his agency is embracing woodas a green building material and will imme-diately begin stating a preference for woodin all agency buildings. “Wood has a vital role to play in meeting

the growing demand for green buildingmaterials,” Secretary Vilsack said in astatement.

Sustainable Forest Action Coalition

According to the American ForestResource Council (AFRC), theSustainable Forest Action Coalition(SFAC) continues to grow in support aswell as issues and concerns. SFAC’s mission is to connect county and

THE

WASHINGTONSCENE

JENNIFER BRAND RICHARD KLEINER MICHAEL TARBELL

Continued on page 17 Continued on page 17 Continued on page 17Continued on page 17

community organizations in the healthysustainable management of our forestecosystems. SFAC provides support toand represents eighteen California coun-ties. In most of these counties, either indi-viduals or the entire Board of Supervisorsare actively involved. SFAC recently met with Region 5

Regional Forester Randy Moore and two ofhis Deputy Regional Foresters. As usual,SFAC coordinates these meetings withCongressional members from the areasthe coalition represents. CongressmenWally Herger (R-CA) and Tom McClintock(R-CA) along with local field representa-tives of Congressmen Jeff Denham (R-CA)and Dan Lungren (R-CA) attended. Issuesdiscussed included Forest Service timbersale targets and accomplishments, countycoordination on projects, providing socialand economic input into NEPA documents,and providing information and educationon the natural resource issues that impactour rural counties’ social and economicwellbeing. SFAC members participated in the Region

5 Sierra and Cascade Dialog, which is anon-going effort to increase the number ofacres treated per year to accomplish eco-logical restoration goals. SFAC members provide input to the U.S.’s

current and foreseeable social and eco-nomic issues by stressing the need tomaintain or enhance the forest productsinfrastructure.

Forest Planning Rulemaking

The Forest Service recently hosted anational public forum on the proposed for-est-planning rule in Washington, D.C.About 100 people were in attendance,including multiple-use interests, environ-mental organizations, local government,youth, and tribes. Robert Bonnie, JoelHoltrop, and Mary Wagner welcomedattendees and thanked everyone for theircontinued interest and commitment to

Richard Kleiner isDirector ofI n t e r n a t i o n a lM a r k e tDevelopment forthe SouthernForest ProductsA s s o c i a t i o n(SFPA). Founded in1915, SFPA is oneof the oldest tradeassociations in thecountry, represent-ing Southern Pinelumber mills,treaters, laminatorsand exporters. After joining SFPAin 1998 as aM a r k e t i n gManager, Kleinersoon assumedgreater responsibil-ity as Director ofIndustrial Marketsand then asDirector of Treated

Michael Tarbell isVice President ofsales for RamForest ProductsInc., located inS h i n g l e h o u s e ,Pe n n s y l v a n i a .Ram ForestProducts offersAsh, Red Oak andCherry, as well asHard and SoftMaple in kiln-driedand green produc-tion. The companyalso marketsveneer and three-sided logs.All products are

offered domesti-cally and interna-tionally. RamForest also offerscontainer loading.The firm special-izes in 8/4 through12/4 thicknesses.

CHRISTOPHER STRANG

For more information on AHEC and the export promotion programs, call (202)463-2720, fax (202)463-2787, or visit the website, www.ahec.org.

C h r i s t o p h e rStrang is purchas-ing agent forDownes & ReaderHardwoods locatedin Stoughton,Mass.Downes & Readeroffers rough lum-ber, importedwoods, domestichardwoods andsoftwoods, sheetgoods and surfac-ing and rippingservices. “We are aone-s top-shop,”Strang said. “Wehave a large anddiverse inventory.”Strang has beenin his current posi-tion approximately9 months. Hisrespons ib i l i t i esinclude purchasingdomestic and

By Michael SnowExecutive Director

American Hardwood Export CouncilReston, Virginia

“Underutilized” Hardwood Forest Resource In The U.S. Poised ToMeet The Growing Global Demand For Sustainable Hardwoods

Jennifer Brand isthe recently pro-m o t e dInternational WoodProducts DivisionManager ofB r i d g e w e l lR e s o u r c e s .Headquartered inTigard, Oregon,Bridgewell is aglobal wholesaledistributor of hard-wood and soft-wood lumber, pan-els, flooring andmoulding/millworkof all species andgrades. They servemanufacturers ofcabinets, furniture,doors, windowsand millwork aswell as construc-tion and remodel-ing industries witha variety of

®

Vancouver, British Columbia–TheVancouver Sun recently reported that theglobal forest and paper industry is showingrecovery signs, according to a report byPricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).It also reported that Canadian forest prod-

uct exports to the U.S. have declined by 50percent since 2005 and other obstacles forlocal forest companies remain.PwC released indicators in a report enti-

tled Growing the Future at its annualGlobal Forest and Paper IndustryConference here.PwC noted that the top 100 public compa-

nies’ aggregate Return on CapitalEmployed (ROCE)-a key indicator of a sec-tor’s financial health – increased in 2010although levels varied regionally.Global ROCE has been improving steadi-

ly to an estimated 4.8 percent in 2010, up

from 3.2 percent in 2009 from 2.4 percentin 2008, while Canada’s ROCE increasedfrom -3 percent in 2009 to 3.8 percent in2010.The U.S. and merging economies, the

Sun reported, including China, have thehighest ROCE (5.8 percent and 5.2 per-cent respectively), PwC said.PwC noted that North America experi-

enced a strong revival in the number ofmerger and acquisition deals after a virtualcollapse in 2009.Meanwhile, according to The Sun, PwC

said the possibility to convert wood fiber fornew purposes, including heat and power,biofuels and chemicals, is going to expandover the next decade.

•

PricewaterhouseCoopersReports First Signs of Recovery

Continued on page 17

making this the best planning rule ever.Agency staff then went through each sec-tion of the proposed rule explaining contentand background, and then took questions. The purpose of the forum was to present

the proposed rule and help clarify oranswer any questions. It was repeatedseveral times that comments must be sub-mitted in writing to be considered. Whatwas said at the forum was not part of theofficial record for public comment.Unfortunately, given the format, there was-n’t much time allowed for questions anddialogue. Several issues drew quite a bit ofattention including diversity and viability ofspecies; ecological, social, and economicsustainability; and the three-part processof assessment, planning, and monitoring.

Another concern that was raised severaltimes was the expense involved with imple-menting the proposed rule. AFRC staff isworking with the Federal Forests.

Aune Retires/Williamson Comes On Board

Phil Aune, AFRC’s Northeast Washingtonforestry consultant, retired. This is Aune’sthird retirement, following his career withthe Forest Service and work with theCalifornia Forestry Association. Maurice Williamson, who has operated

Williamson Consulting out of its Colvilleoffice for over 30 years, will become a con-sultant to AFRC to cover Aune’s duties.

FEATURES:IWPA World Of Wood Convention . . . .1

NAWLA Vancouver Regional . . . . . . . .1

Dubai Strongly Features U.S. Hardwoods, etc. .1

Domotex/Interzun Showcase . . . . . . . .1

Danube Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

NEFF LUMBER CO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

NHLA Welcomes Members At IWPA . . . . . . . .6

American Hardwoods Win Awards . . . . . . . . . .8

DEPARTMENTS:Who's Who in Imports/Exports .............2

Washington Scene................................2

World Export Update ............................2

First Signs of Recovery Reported ........2

Not Just Imported Wood...Int’l. Wood ...3

Stock Exchange .........................18 & 19

Business Trends Abroad.....................21

Business Trends Can., Hardwoods .............23

Business Trends U.S.A., Hardwoods .............24

Import/Export Calendar ......................25

Newswires...........................................26

Classified Opportunities......................27

Advertisers Index ................................27

Obituary ..............................................28

U.S. & Canadian Softwood Forest Products

Export Suppliers ......................29, 30 & 31

Table of Contents

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Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

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Publisher: Paul J. Miller - 1963-2010Gary Miller - PresidentWayne Miller - Vice President/Executive Editor Paul Miller, Jr. - Vice President/EditorTerry Miller - Vice President/Associate Editor- Secretary/Treasurer

Sue Putnam - Editorial DirectorMichelle Keller - Associate EditorJohn M. Gray, Jr. - Production/Art DirectorWalter J. Lee - Production/Asst. Art DirectorRachael Stokes - Advertising ManagerLisa Carpenter - Circulation ManagerU.S. Correspondents: Chicago, Ill., Grand Rapids, Mich., HighPoint, N.C., Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., Memphis, TN Canadian Correspondents: TorontoForeign Correspondents: Brazil, Philippines, Malaysia, Chile,Bangkok, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand.The Import/Export Wood Purchasing News is the product ofa company and its affiliates that have been in the publishingbusiness for over 85 years.Other publications edited for specialized markets and distrib-uted worldwide include:Forest Products Export Directory • Hardwood PurchasingHandbook • National Hardwood Magazine • Dimension & WoodComponents Buyer’s Guide • Imported Wood Purchasing Guide• Green Book’s Hardwood Marketing Directory • Green Book’sSoftwood Marketing Directory • The Softwood Forest ProductsBuyer

The publisher reserves the right to accept orreject editorial content and Advertisementsat the staffʼs discretion.

opportunities while they networked withoverseas delegations.IWPA has a long and close partnership

with overseas trade associations whosemembers manufacture the goods our mem-bers import. However, these same associ-ations represent industries that are largeconsumers of U.S. wood products.Watching business discussions during ourconvention showed the immense value incompanies being able to talk import and

export at the sametime.To advance these

import/export opportu-nities, IWPA recentlyjoined the AmericanHardwood ExportCouncil (AHEC).AHEC provides theglobal hardwoodindustry – importers,specifiers and end-

users – with promotional assistance, tech-nical information and sources of supply forAmerican hardwoods from its offices locat-ed in Europe, Mexico, Japan, Hong Kongand Shanghai to serve the needs of theglobal community. It is known from trade statistics that the

one bright spot for domestic U.S. producersis their growing export market. A weak U.S.dollar hurts imports, but helps exports. Therecession and its lingering effects on the

IWPA held a very successful convention inApril. It was well attended by our U.S.–based voting members as well as severaloverseas supplier delegations. Eventhough we are the “International” WoodProducts Association, I am always amazedby our diverse membership. Walking thehalls of the convention I heard Spanish,Portuguese, French, Chinese, Indonesian,Malay, German, Italian, and an interestingdialect of English spoken by our Britishfriends.The diversity of languages mirrors the

supply chain of wood products across theglobe. Many countries, just like the U.S.,can be classified as consuming, producingand processing countries. The model of“out and in” does not hold true in mostcases. Wood or fiber exported from theU.S. may stay in a foreign country. Or, itcan make several stops in foreign pro-cessing countries before it comes back toU.S. distributors who place products inretail flooring, furniture or gift card stores. It is well known that IWPA members han-

dle both domestic wood and importedwood products. This reflects the fact thatimported wood fills unique applicationniches which do not directly compete withdomestic species. What is not as well known is that the U.S.

companies that support IWPA also exportas well as import. This was quite evidentduring our convention as companies werejust as aggressively looking for export Continued on page 20

housing market has depressed the U.S.market for many species. Luckily, thegrowing middle class in China, India andMiddle East is filling that gap.

June/July 2011 Page 3

By Brent J. McClendon, CAEExecutive Vice President

International Wood Products Associationwww.iwpawood.org

Lumber Sales - Paul DowPhone 001-330-893-3121Fax 001-330-893-3031

Quincy ChenTaipei Office

Email chenquincy@gmail.comPhone 886-2-89145492

Lei ZhaoShanghai Office

Email leizhao105@gmail.comPhone 86-13917158857

Log Sales - Eugene A.Walters, CFFax 001-304-464-4988

Phone 001-304-464-4980genew@yoderlumber.compauld@yoderlumber.com

Not Just Imported Wood… International Wood

Jabel Ali, Danube–Tejesh Shah is aman inspired, working often 12 hours a day,traveling one week in two as Export SalesManager for DanubeGroup – widely rec-ognized as a leadingbuilding materialscompany in theMiddle East –inspired by his boss,Rizwan Sajan. Itseems that most peo-ple in constructionknow “Rizwan” for hisdrive and vision. AsChairman of theGroup, Indian-bornRizwan has built upDanube from its hum-ble beginnings in 18short years, with thehelp of his brotherAnis, now managingdirector, to one aim-ing for USD1billion by 2015; and hebelieves it’s right on track. Wood-based products represent a little

over half the Group’s turnover of buildingproducts that range from steel sheet,through ceramic products to hardware forthe construction industry. With 1,250employees deployed in 25 locations inMiddle East and India alone, plus two man-ufacturing plants and three offices in Chinaand a buying office in Canada, Danube is akey player throughout the region.Distribution is spread from India to NorthAfrica and beyond.A visit to the three main wood yards in

Jebel Ali reveals a vast stock of softwoodand hardwood lumber, plywood and MDFspread over 750,000 sq. ft. of open andcovered space. The company is expandingthis on several fronts and currently buildingnew office facilities. Hardwoods from theUSA, mainly Red and White Oak, Walnutand Ash are stocked in several thickness-es, along with a number of African speciesand some European Beech. RadiataPine from Chile and softwoods fromCanada are major items for the construc-tion industry, and the company also buyslumber from Austria, Romania and Russia.Standard grade plywood from Malaysia andIndonesia are two staples with supplies of

Page 4 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Danube Group–A Middle East Leader In Offering American Wood

Softwood from Canfor is among many wood species exported toDanube.

750,000 square feet of covered and open warehouse space at Danube ismore than half filled at any given time with hardwoods and softwoods.Hardwoods from the U.S. in several thicknesses are stored here.

Despite Danube mainly importing kiln dried lum-ber, the region has a tradition in buying some ship-ping dry material, which may then later require dry-ing on site. For that reason alone the company hasinstalled oil-fired kiln dryers with a capacity of 400-450 cubic meters for custom drying.

2-inch FAS American Ash arrives at Danube in the Middle East.

By Michael Buckley

For more information contact sales staffDoug - Bill - Pam - Roy

(228) 832-1899 / fax: (228) 831-1149

1-800-647-9547www.newmanlumber.comGulfport, Mississippi USA NEWMAN

C 1996 FOREST STEWARDSHIP COUNCILSCS-COC-002027

O

Genuine Mahogany - Spanish Cedar - Sapele - CerejeiraFSC available upon request

Continued on page 20

Rizwan Sajan, chair-man of Danube Group,adheres closely to avision of solid growthfor his firm as theMiddle Eastern marketcontinues to increase.

American Black Walnut and Red and White Oak comprise the bulk ofAmerican Hardwoods purchased by this Middle Eastern company.

June/July 2011 Page 5

Neff Lumber Mills, Inc.̓s large log yard has these main species of logsin inventory: Red and White Oak; Ash; Poplar; Cherry; and, Walnut.

NEFF LUMBER—Manufacturing Quality Appalachian Hardwoods

Danny Sherman grading the kiln dried lumber.Several family members work at Neff Lumber Mills, Inc., including: EricHoover; Katie Hoover; Mike Hoover; Marijo Wood; Chris Hoover; and, MattHoover.

Continued on page 20

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SPECIALIZING IN BLACK WALNUT 4/4–10/4

The Caterpillar forklift operator is pushing the bundles of lumber intoa container that will be shipped to one of Neff Lumber Mills, Inc.̓soverseas customers.

By Gary Miller

This is a view of Neffʼs computer operated linear positioner Corley car-riage and McDonough six-foot band saw.

Broadway, Va.—From their six-foot band mill operation NeffLumber Mills Inc., based here, manufactures green and kiln-dried Appalachian hardwood lumber, heat-treated pallets,skids, survey stakes, fence boards, chips, mulch, sawdust andstrips.Neff Lumber markets to a multitude of customers including dif-

ferent types of woodworking plants, Hardwood distribution/con-centration lumberyards and exporters. Marijo Wood, salesmanager for Neff Lumber Inc. said, “Our firm exports our lum-ber products to countries such as Denmark, Germany andEngland and China where it’s used for making hardwood floor-ing, cabinets, window trim, and door frames.”Founded in 1928 by Newton A. Neff and Blair A. Neff, the com-

pany is family-owned and operated and produces approxi-mately 5 million board feet of Appalachian hardwood lumberper year. Species offered by Neff Lumber include: Red andWhite Oak, Ash, Poplar, Cherry and steamed Black Walnut.In order to satisfy its broad customer

base, Neff Lumber uses state-of-the-artsawmill equipment. Located in theShenandoah Valley of Virginia, the 20-acremill site includes SII dehumidification drykilns; a computer operated linear position-er Corley carriage; a Fulghum debarker; aMcDonough band saw; and a six-footstacker. Rolling equipment includesCaterpillar forklifts.The company’s Appalachian hardwood

lumber is manufactured in thicknesses of4/4 through 16/4. Neff mostly produceshigh grade hardwoods and separates pro-duction according to customers’ specifica-tions for width and length. All of Neff’s lumber products are graded to

National Hardwood Lumber Association(NHLA) standards. Log ProcurementManager Mike Hoover said, “All of our kiln-dried lumber products are graded twicebefore they are prepared for shipment,once at the mill and again after kiln drying.”The firm’s dry kiln capacity is 180,000board foot per charge utilizing three drykilns.Hoover continued, “Our Pendu gang saw

has multiple uses. The industrial gradelumber goes into our Pendu system, whichis used to cut up the lumber for pallets andstakes. The Pendu system is also used forripping the lumber into strips in fourthrough eight inch widths, which are madein six to 12 foot lengths.”

“Our wood pallets are heat treated forexport at 133 degrees,” Wood added. “Ahole is drilled in a piece of the material andwe put a probe in to measure the tempera-ture. When the temperature in our palletsreaches 133 degrees and stays at thattemperature for about an hour, our palletsare ready for shipping to our various cus-tomers.”With approximately 42 employees, the

company’s band mill operates about 44hours per week, while the firm’s palletoperation works about 40 hours a week.Including Marijo Wood and Mike Hoover,key people at Neff include: Eric Hooverwho oversees pallet and cut-up operations,and Chris Hoover, production manager.Fifth generation family members includeMatt Hoover, who is the assistant procure-ment manager and Katie Hoover, who issafety manager and oversees the exportshipments. Other employees who areimportant to the operations of the companyinclude: Danny Sherman, lumber graderand Luther Arbaugh who is the saw filerand both have been with the company forover 30 years. Adam Cromer is also agrader and organizes some of the lumbershipments; Jeremy Rhodes is the headsawyer; and Tony Holloway is a reliefsawyer.Bonnie Neff Hoover was president and

CEO of the operation started by her fatherand grandfather until she passed away in2005. A personal customer satisfactionguarantee remains on the company web-site today. Where Bonnie says, “During mytenure, I’ve been privileged to be part ofmany new and innovative approaches tothe manufacture of lumber. Neff has keptup with these changes, but one thing has

Page 6 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

New Orleans, Louisiana–NationalHardwood Lumber Association membersand their guests enjoyed a cocktail recep-tion recently in conjunction with theInternational Wood Product Association’s(IWPA) 55th Annual Convention, held hereat the Loew’s Hotel.

NHLA Welcomes Members At IWPA

Continued on page 21

Additional photo on page 21

By Wayne Miller

Tom Walthousen, National Hardwood Lumber Association, Memphis, Tenn.;Scott Hilman and Roy Polatchek, Liberty Woods International Inc., Carlsbad,Calif.; and Pat Bennett, American Pacific Plywood Inc., Solvang, Calif.

Eugenio Colao, Andrighetti Legnami S.p.A., Veneto, Italy; Chris Chalkley,Timber Products Co., Springfield, Ore.; Karl Brown, Weston Premium Woods,Brampton, Ont.; and Chris Connelly, Wood Brokerage International, LakeOswego, Ore.

Judd Johnson, Hardwood Market Report, Memphis, Tenn.;and Norm Murray, U•C Coatings Corp., Buffalo, N.Y.

Goh Chee Yew, Bakti Malaysia Sdn Bhd, Malaysia; David Cheng, PioHardwoods Sdn Bhd, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Raihan Rahman, MalaysianTimber Council, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Chew Lye Teng, Malaysian TimberCertification Council, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Tham Sing Khow, MalaysianTimber Council; and Leonard Krause, Compliance Specialists, Eugene, Ore.

James McGuffin, Shamrock Trading, Portland, Ore.; andTim Dunn, Specified Components Co., Gurnee, Ill.

Alan McIlvain, Alan McIlvain Co., Marcus Hook, Pa.; andCraig Forester, Rex Lumber Co., Acton, Mass.

Reggie Hubbard, Darlington Veneer Co., Darlington, S.C.; Alan Hubbard,Veneer Technologies Inc., Newport, N.C.; and Chris Paras, current president ofIWPA, Argo Fine Imports, Virginia Beach, Va.

Jim Summerlin, Robinson Lumber Co., Buellton, Calif.;and Garner Robinson, Robinson Lumber Co., NewOrleans, La.

Carlos Segura-Behr, Fr. Meyerʼs Sohn North America, Sao Paulo, Brazil; RomelBezerra, Elof Hansson USA, Pembroke Pines, Fla.; and Carlos Garcia, Fr.Meyerʼs North America, Newport Beach, Calif.

Christian Mengel, VM International, Greensboro, N.C.; Guy Goodwin, NHGTimber Ltd., Surrey, England; and Will Thompson, Timberwolf TropicalHardwoods, Easton, Md.

June/July 2011 Page 7

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Page 8 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Continued on page 21

One Success Story After Another...

Hawkeye Forest Products, Inc., headquartered in Boise, Idaho, carries six 1/2 Island Ads in four-color in the Import/ExportWood Purchasing News and a full page Ad in four-color in the Forest Products Export Directory. Hawkeye specializes in BlackWalnut, Glacial Cherry and Hickory in 4/4 through 16/4. Facilities located in Trempealeau, Wisconsin, include: 200,000 feet indry kiln capacity, a sawmill, Walnut steamer and specialize in mixed truck and container loads. Contact John or MarcusHawkinson at 1-888-242-9539 or 208-344-8865, Fax: 208-344-8801 or E-mail: sales@hawkeyeforest.com

CALL US TODAY 901-372-8280TOLL FREE 1-800-844-1280 OR FAX US AT 901-373-6180

For Ad rates and marketing support services unavailable elsewhere.

“It’s everywhere you need to be to get more business!”

IIMPORT/EXPORT

WOOD PURCHASING NEWS

Mr. Terry Miller

Vice President

International Wood Trade Publications, Inc.

1235 Sycamore View

Memphis, Tennessee 38134

Dear Terry,

“I just wanted to take a few minutes to let you know what a positive and suc-

cessful experience it has been working with you and establishing our Ad campaign

in your Import/Export Wood Purchasing News, as well as the ad we placed in the

Export Directory. The inquiries and feedback have truly surpassed our expecta-

tions! This celebrates our 20th anniversary as a company, and in those 20 years we

never advertised until now. As a first time advertiser we couldn’t be happier with

the results. The “extras” that come with the advertising package have been very

beneficial and have gotten our name out there.The “featurette” and feature articles

that were published were very informative as to who our company is and what we

do at Hawkeye Forest Products. Almost everyday we receive a fax, e-mail or phone

call from a new company either overseas or here in the U.S.A. who has seen our

Ad or read our article in one of your publications.

New business as a result of advertising was our goal and we have certainly

achieved that!”

We look forward to continuing our advertising campaign with you....”

Best personal regards,

John Hawkinson

President

Hawkeye Forest Products, Inc.

Boise, ID/Trempealeau,WI

“...what a positive and successful experience...establishing our

Ad campaign in your Import/Export Wood Purchasing News...the

inquiries and feedback have truly surpassed our expectations!...”

The Hawkinson Family: (from left) Marcus, John, Jennifer Geiger, MarcusJohn and Kathy.

Hawkeye Forest Products, Inc., headquartered in Boise, Idaho, carries five 1/2 Island Ads in four-color and 1 BackCover in four-color in the Import/Export Wood Purchasing News and a full page Ad in four-color in the Forest ProductsExport Directory. Hawkeye specializes in Black Walnut, Glacial Cherry and Hickory in 4/4 throguh 16/4. Facilities locatedin Trempealeau, Wisconsin, include: 200,000 feet in dry kiln capacity, a sawmill, Walnut steamer and specialize in mixedtruck and container loads. Contact John or Marcus Hawkinson at 1-888-242-9539 or 208-344-8865, Fax: 208-344-8801 or E-mail: sales@hawkeyeforest.com

American Pecan is showcased in a sideboard by CJI at MIFF. Nathan Yong exhibited this new design in American White Oak at arecent SE Asia show.

A key species in Southeast Asia–American White Oak– is modeled intoa desk by Podium.

American Ash was prominent this spring on the Southeast AsiaFurntiure Circuit, such as this suite for hotels by Indovickers.

At IFFS, KODA displayed this product in American Black Walnut.

American Hardwoods Win Awards, Gain FavorBy Michael Buckley

Southeast Asia–This spring, eight differ-ent furniture shows in Southeast Asiaattracted U.S. wood producers. At the Malaysian International Furniture

Fair (MIFF) in Kuala Lumpur the mood wasoptimistic, but the evidence of a recovery inMalaysia’s furniture export markets wasthin. YB Senator Tan Sri Dr Koh Tsu Koon,Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office,opened the show with the proposal thatMalaysia should aim to become eighthlargest furniture exporter in the world fromits current alternating position as ninth ortenth. “From a value of RM370 million(US$122 million) in 1995 it had grown by afactor of 20 to RM7.62 billion (US$2.5 bil-lion)” he said. MIFF opened quietly amid concerns as to

whether the usual numbers of internationalvisitors would arrive from a politically trou-bled Middle East. Australian buyers werewell in evidence throughout the showalthough the European contingent seemedthin. Large numbers of visitors from theIndian sub-continent were looking foreverything from raw materials to finishedfurniture. Many Rubberwood producersdisplayed their collections which, becauseso much furniture is now dark stained, isnow more difficult to identify as such.Some have also introduced hardwoodveneer in imported species, particularlyOak, Walnut, Ash and even Cherry toupgrade and increase value on plantationwood frames and MDF substrates. Theshow, which included an exhibit by AHEC,underlined the extent to which Malaysia isnow importing raw material to supplementRubberwood from its local plantationresources, which are under the pressure ofa reducing supply and increasing pricepressure for a number of reasons.The Export Furniture Exhibition 2011

(EFE), also in Malaysia, is now in its sev-enth year, organized by the MalaysiaFurniture Entrepreneur Association(MFEA). It was opened by DeputyPlantation Minister Datuk HamzahZainuddin, who suggested that the govern-ment’s target for furniture exports is RM16billion by 2020 and urged Malaysian com-panies to explore new markets andimprove products and design.Many displays at EFE were thoughtful and

enticing; products were generally wellarranged and there was a feeling of inno-vation and design in the air. While manyproducers still rely extensively onRubberwood, significant numbers areexperimenting with different wood species,and design statements were everywhere.Exhibitors said they could not cope with therush on the opening day with visitors fromafar afield as South Africa, Morocco andAustralia. Taking the two Malaysian shows together,

it is clear Malaysia has an uphill struggle ifit is to meet the target of RM16 billion(US$5.28 billion) – a doubling in the next 9years.The International Furniture Fair,

Singapore (IFFS) opened quietly withdesign the center of focus at every turn.The Minister for Trade and Industry &

June/July 2011 Page 9

Page 10 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

IWPA PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

Chris Strang, Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. Inc., Stoughton, Mass.; andLarry Blakaitis, Rex Lumber Co., Englishtown, N.J.

William von der Goltz, Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. Inc., Stoughton, Mass.;Tom Wilson, International Specialties Inc., Collierville, Tenn.; and ChristianMengel, VM International, Greensboro, N.C.

Gary Swaner, Swaner Hardwood Co., Burbank, Calif.; Charlie Craig, AHC CraigImports, Huntersville, N.C.; George Swaner, Swaner Hardwood Co.; and TomHerga, Olam International Ltd., Wilmington, N.C.

Don McMaster, Penny Paras and Julie Paras, Argo Fine Imports Inc., Metairie,La.; and Patricia and Kur Antono, International Wood Products Inc., Apex, N.C.

Lenny and Beth Shibley, Inter-Continental Hardwoods Inc., Currie, N.C.; andJessica Zheng and Scott Beggs, American Pacific Inc., Holly Springs, Miss.

Jesper and Mette Bach, Baillie Lumber Co., Hamburg, N.Y.: Larry Blakaitis, RexLumber Co., Englishtown, N.J.; and Brett Ellis, Sabra International, MiamiBeach, Fla.

Teresa and Tom Wilson, International Specialties Inc., Collierville, Tenn.; BrentMcClendon, IWPA, Alexandria, Va.; and Joe Bonney, The Journal of Commerce,Newark, N.J.

Paul Gates, Tradelink Wood Products Inc., Greensboro, N.C.; and GreggWilkinson, Bridgewell Resources LLC, Tigard, Ore.

Dave Chodzko, Intersure Insurance Brokers Ltd., Sechelt, B.C.; JoAnnGillebaard Keller, Holland Southwest International, Houston, Texas; CindyBergin, Newman Lumber Co., Gulfport, Miss.; and (standing) Mike Bartz andRobert Gillebaard, Holland Southwest International

Patrick Hennebicque, Bradford Forest Inc., Bradford, Pa.; Zahid Abbas,WoodBois International, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and Pascal Chomont, InterholcoAG, Baar, Switzerland

Lenny Shibley, Inter-Continental Hardwoods Inc., Currie, N.C.; Chris Strang,Downes & Reader Hardwood Co. Inc., Stoughton, Mass.; and Hugh Reitz, PRSGuitars Ltd., Stevensville, Md.

Ian Duffy, International Shipholding Corp., New York, N.Y.; and T. Lee RobinsonJr., OHC Inc., Mobile, Ala.

Tom Walthousen, NHLA, Memphis, Tenn.; and Keith Swaner, Swaner HardwoodCo., Burbank, Calif.

Libor Cech and Will Thompson, Timberwolf Tropical Hardwoods, Easton, Md.

Libor Cech, Jim Wolf, Sam Strong and Will Thompson,Timberwolf Tropical Hardwoods, Easton, Md.

Doug Rogers, Canusa Wood Products Ltd., Vancouver,B.C.; Jim Summerlin, Robinson Lumber Co., Buellton,Calif.; and Ivens Robinson, Robinson Lumber Co., NewOrleans, La.

John Pauwels, Robert Weed Plywood Corp., Bristol, Ind.;Greg Simon, Far East American Inc., Los Angeles, Calif.;and Sarah Pauwels and David Weed, Robert WeedPlywood Corp.

JoAnn Forester and Craig Forester, Rex Lumber Co.,Acton, Mass.; Teresa and Judd Johnson, HardwoodMarket Report Memphis, Tenn.; Beth Shibley, Inter-Continental Hardwoods Inc., Currie, N.C.; and NilceaBursche, DLH Nordisk Inc., Greensboro, N.C.

Additional photos on page 12

Paul Gates, Tradelink Wood Products Inc., Greensboro, N.C.; ZahidAbbas, WoodBois International, Abidjan, Ivory Coast; and ChristianMengel, VM International, Greensboro, N.C.

June/July 2011 Page 11

Page 12 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

IWPA PHOTOS - Continued from page 10

Jim Howard, Atlanta Hardwood Corp., Mableton, Ga.; Mike Gutchess, MixTimber Inc., Naples, Fla.; and Ivens Robinson, Robinson Lumber Co., NewOrleans, La.

Geoff Dodd, Interholco AG, Collierville, Tenn.; Rob Gross, Gross Veneer SalesInc., High Point, N.C.; Anthony Lynchesky, Veneer Technologies Inc., Newport,N.C.; and Wayne Miller, Import/Export Wood Purchasing News, Memphis, Tenn.

John Vick, Bozovich Timber Products Inc., Evergreen, Ala.; Rob Gross, GrossVeneer Sales Inc., High Point, N.C.; and Romel Bezerra, Elof Hansson USAInc., Pembroke Pines, Fla.

Paul Gosnell, Patriot Timber Products International Inc., Greensboro, N.C.; andKevin Castagnola, South Jersey Port Corp., Camden, N.J.

Patrick Hennebicque, Bradford Forest Inc., Bradford, Pa.; and Norm Murray,U•C Coatings Corp., Buffalo, N.Y.

Paul Gates, Tradelink Wood Products Inc., Greensboro, N.C.; Keister Evans,Forest Carbon Offsets LLC, Alexandria, Va.; and Stewart Sexton, DLH NordiskInc., Greensboro, N.C.

Brian Adams and Travis Snapp, PSI Inc., Eugene, Ore.; Alan Hubbard, VeneerTechnologies Inc., Newport, N.C.; and John Andl, TradeLeaf LLC, New York,N.Y.

Raphael Tolmos and Gianina Vick, Bozovich Timber Products Inc., Evergreen,Ala.; and Lenny Shibley, Inter-Continental Hardwoods Inc., Currie, N.C.

Oscar Faoro, Canadian Wood Council, Kelowna, B.C.; Jim Jia, LJResources Co., Vancouver, B.C.; Dalton Lewis, AFA Forest ProductsInc., Richmond, B.C.; and Tom Davis, Taiga Building Products, Burnaby,B.C.

Kip Fotheringham and Julie Jones, Welco Lumber Corp., Vancouver,B.C.; and Bart Bender, Ainsworth Engineered, Vancouver, B.C.

Ryan Lepp, Welco Lumber Corp., Vancouver, B.C.; Daryl Swetlishoff,Raymond James, Vancouver, B.C.; Mike Jones, Welco Lumber Corp.; andDavid Elstone, Equity Research Associates, Gibsons, B.C.

Matt Tobin, West Fraser Mills Ltd., Quesnel, B.C.; and Chris Johal andNathan Tellis, I Wood Lumber Products, Vancouver, B.C.

Chris Young and Les Timar, Woodtone, Chilliwack, B.C.; and TonyDarling, Skana Forest Products Ltd., Richmond, B.C.

Tom Jones, The Teal-Jones Group, Surrey, B.C.; and Tom Pallan, PallanTimber Co., Campbell River, B.C.

Additional photos on page 14

Nana Dwomoh Sarpong, Ghana Forestry Commission, Sustex Co., Ltd.,Kumasi, Ghana; Alhassan Attah, Ghana Forestry Commission, Takoradi,Ghana; Richard Nsenkyire, Ghana Forestry Commission, Samartex Co.,Takoradi, Ghana; and Alexander Botchway, Ghana Forestry Commission,London, United Kingdom

NAWLA PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

June/July 2011 Page 13

Continued on page 15

Panels / Lumber / Moulding / Decking / FlooringSourcing wood overseas is one thing. Getting it delivered reliably is another. With our in-house customs and logistics team, Bridgewell Resources takes the hassles out of importing the world’s highest quality hardwoods and the headaches out of keeping up on the current, complex import regulations like the Lacey Act & ISF (10+2). Enjoy a trusted, long-term resource for pre-fi nished paneling, exotic hardwood fl ooring, decking, hardwood plywood, jambs, fi nger-jointed blanks and blocks, and timbers in all grades and sizes. When it comes to importing, we make it painless.

©2011 Bridgewell Resources LLC. All rights reserved.

503.872.3566 / info@bridgewellres.comwww.BridgewellResources.com

NAWLA -Continued from page 1

IWPA -Continued from page 1

DUBAI -Continued from page 1

appeared and certainly the wood machin-ery sector is still hurting, which was reflect-ed in the lower number of exhibitors thanhad been hoped for by the organizers –Strategic Marketing & Exhibitions. Butthere was no shortage of hardwood andsoftwood material on offer with Americanmaterial at the heart of the show. The show was opened by His Excellency

Dr. Rashed Bin Fahad, Minister of theEnvironment and Water, United ArabEmirates, who toured it extensively andmet many exhibitors in both the woodmaterial and woodworking machineryhalls, including visiting the AmericanSoftwood Export Council. This three-dayevent was a small but highly focused woodindustry show with mainly Gulf exhibitorsand visitors; although there were somesubstantial international groups ofexhibitors from China, France, Germany,USA and visitor delegations from regionalmarkets, such as Pakistan.

Architectural and Design community.International delegations further expandedupon this relationship by offering captivat-ing presentations on the extensive initia-tives their countries have undertaken toprovide importers and users assurances oflegality and sustainability of their forestproducts exports.Chris Paras, IWPA President said, “IWPA

has always provided strong educationalprogramming and this year was no differ-ent. What was different was the enthusi-asm from the attendees for what 2011 -–2012 will bring. I believe that enthusiasmis partially connected to the fact theyattended the convention. The amount ofnetworking that occurs at the event leadsdirectly to new business relationships.”Paras continued, “When you see the

range of issues in front of the importingcommunity, you clearly appreciate thevalue in a strong trade association. TheInternational Trade Commission investiga-tion on flooring imports from China andEPA’s regulation of formaldehyde in com-posite wood products are crucial issues,and so is GSP renewal and the Lacey Act.Any company that thinks they can stay ontop of all these issues without the servicesof IWPA is kidding themselves.” Among guest speakers at IWPA was Gary

LaGrange, president and CEO of Port ofNew Orleans, who stated that the port wasback in operation just two weeks afterHurricane Katrina occurred. He said 475million tons of cargo flowed in and out ofNew Orleans last year, making it “thebusiest port in the world.”On the economic front, New York Times’

weekly columnist Gene Marks spoke about“Politics, the Economy and theInternational Wood Products Industry.”He cited some trends to be aware of in

order to be successful in business. The firstis economic growth. “We are out of therecession,” he explained, “due to the GDPlevel with a 2 to 3 percent growth rate.Retails sales continue to increase, but con-struction spending is still down.”He also advised closely watching the U.S.

budget proposals and policies in general,and noted the growing world inflation oncommodities “are going through the roof.The money supply pressure is on right nowand the big threat of inflation is looming.”He also recommended several index indi-

cators to monitor regularly. They are: theBaltic Dry Index, the ConsumerConfidence Index and Expedia Index.Paras as Immediate Past-President hand-

ed the gavel to Alan McIlvain,President/CEO of Alan McIlvain Company,who is IWPA’s newly elected president.Joining McIlvain on IWPA’s executive com-mittee are Vice President Warren Spitz,UCS Global; Treasurer Cindy Bergin,Newman Lumber Company; and two boardrepresentatives, David Weed, RobertWeed Plywood and Chris Connelly, WoodBrokerage International.World of Wood 2012, IWPA’s 56th Annual

Convention, will be held March 28-30,2012 at the Miramonte Hotel in IndianWells, California. The International Wood Products

Association represents more than 200companies and trade organizationsengaged in the responsible import of hard-woods and softwoods from across theglobe. For more information about theInternational Wood Products Association,please visit IWPAwood.org.

•

to US$3.7 trillion in infrastructure spendingby 2020. This will impact the lumber indus-try over time and for a long time. China’s log deficit through 2015 is forecastto be significant. Jia noted that the short-ages will be especially noticeable indenser, stronger Northern fibers, such asdomestic Pine strips for subfloors’ mount-ing strips.He added that China prefers softwoodscoming from Russia and the United Statesdue to the fiber’s denseness and strength.Jia predicted that wooden frame housingconstruction will grow quickly in China andit will be comprised of hybrid constructionin housing – a combination of wood andconcrete.Jia said that in China the majority ofdimension 2x6 and wider is remanufac-tured into strips. He noted there are eight

trends to watch in China:• A definite cooling in residential realestate in the top tier cities of Shanghai andBeijing with luxury residential impacted thehardest;• The first tier city commercial sector isless affected by cooling measures;• The Central Chinese government is pro-moting affordable housing policy. There are36 million apartment units planned by2015, plus renovations. 10 million are to bebuilt this year, financed by government andcompanies that will contribute US$198 bil-lion. In subsidized housing, the midtermplan is to have 20 percent of the housingsupply deemed affordable.• Canadian lumber will likely gain marketshare in the 2nd tier cities;• Seller consolidation. Canadian SPFmajors have consolidated their China cus-tomer base to a concentrated programclub, therefore, there is less spot No. 3Economy grade wood available on themarket.Other presenters at this meeting includedDaryl Swetlishoff, CFA, Raymond JamesCo., who spoke about the Mountain PineBeetle and trees killed by the insect’s infes-tation. He said many firms are cutting up to70 percent of their trees which have beenkilled by the Beetle, and 70 percent of Pinein the interior of British Columbia are dead.He said mills will continue to react to this bybeing forced to close.Swetlishoff added that there is hugedemand right now from China for lumber,which will help rebuild the industry. But henoted that shipments to the U.S. fromCanada over the last year have been lower.However, B.C. lumber stocks have rallied

as much as 10 to 20 percent due to theJapanese earthquake.Gary Vitale, president of NAWLA, openedthe one-day regional meeting with welcom-ing remarks. He noted there are currently485 NAWLA members.For more information about NAWLA, goonline to www.nawla.org.

•

The French pavilion was modest in sizecompared to the American hardwood pavil-ion hosted by the American HardwoodExport Council (AHEC), which housed 16companies and was split over severalareas in the central hall. AHEC’s ExecutiveDirector Mike Snow was on hand as part ofhis tour of Asian and Middle East marketssupporting regional AHEC Director RodWiles. The AHEC exhibit included hardwood

boards for grading demonstrations byNHLA’s International Consultant, BobSabistina, who was on hand to demon-strate the NHLA Rules. Hardwoods werealso on offer from Canada, Germany,Malaysia, Romania and several Africancountries including African groups fromGabon offering many tropical species andfrom Zaire focusing on species such asWenge. Imported hardwoods from manysources were exhibited by local stockistsand traders, notably Al Nibras (one of the“Platinum Exhibitors”), Gulf Timber andUnited Agencies. Visvaja Trading LLC fromIndia offered tropical hardwood products,notably Burmese Teak and Iroko (a.k.a.African Teak), and temperate species,notably American from logs sawn at itsfacilities in southern India. The Middle Easthas seen a considerable diversification ofimported hardwoods in recent years fromtraditional suppliers such as Malaysia – stillimportant – to exporters from all over theworld and more recently the USA. American exhibitors under the AHEC

umbrella included American HardwoodIndustries offering logs, lumber and floor-ing; American Lumber Co. promoting

Page 14 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

NAWLA PHOTOS - Continued from page 12

Will Barber, IFP Canada Corp., Vancouver, B.C.; and Glenn Mattice,Welco Lumber Corp., Vancouver, B.C.

Dave Newstead and Steve Doman, Euler Hermes Canada, Vancouver,B.C.; and Chris Beveridge, Skana Forest Products Ltd., Richmond, B.C.

Greg Smith, Gilbert Smith Forest Products Ltd., Barriere, B.C.; BobSmith, Clearwood Manufacturing, Maple Ridge, B.C.; and John Gillis,Taiga Building Products, Burnaby, B.C.

Gary Vitale, NAWLA president, Rolling Meadows, Ill.; Janet Wheeler,Interfor, Burnaby, B.C.; and Larry Petree, Lazy S Lumber, Beavercreek,Ore.

Tom Jones, The Teal-Jones Group, Surrey, B.C.; Russ Taylor,International Wood Markets Group, Vancouver, B.C.; and Wayne Miller,The Import/Export Wood Purchasing News, Memphis, Tenn.

Reg Foot, Carrier Lumber, Prince George, B.C.; Yuri Lewis, ConifexTimber Inc., Vancouver, B.C.; Diane Hackman, Norman G. Jensen Inc.,Blaine, Wash.; and Steve Parkinson, South Beach Trading, Coquitlam,B.C.

Jesse Wilson, South Beach Trading, Coquitlam, B.C.; and KentBeveridge and Roger Lambert, Skana Forest Products Ltd., Richmond,B.C.

Carlos Furtado, Sawarne Lumber Co. Ltd., Richmond, B.C.; NAWLAhostess; and Archie Rafter, Andersen Pacific Forest Products, MapleRidge, B.C.

Greg Smith, Gilbert Smith Forest Products, Barriere, B.C.; and Ryan andCarlos Furtado, Sawarne Lumber Co. Ltd., Richmond, B.C.

Archie Rafter, Andersen Pacific Forest Products, Maple Ridge, B.C.; andRauvi Pallan, Pallan Timber Products, Campbell River, B.C.

Darrell Ekelund, Central Cedar Ltd., Surrey, B.C.; Ross Ward, Tyee TimberProducts, Coquitlam, B.C.; and Dennis Wight, Pacific WesternWoodworks Ltd., Delta, B.C.

Les Sjoholm, LNS Sales Inc., Lacey, Wash.; and Dave Pollack, Pat PowerForest Products, Maple Ridge, B.C.

Jason Loewen, Elykwood, Langley, B.C.; Tony Darling, Skana ForestProducts Ltd., Richmond, B.C.; Dale Bartsch, Hy Mark Wood, Surrey,B.C.; and Carlos Furtado, Sawarne Lumber Co. Ltd., Richmond, B.C.

Kip Fotheringham, Welco Lumber Corp., Vancouver, B.C., is honoredwith a plaque for his service the past five years in conjunction withorganizing the Vancouver meeting annually. Gary Vitale, NAWLA presi-dent, presnted the plaque.

Tom Sellin, Interfor, Hammond, B.C.; Russ Nixon, Western ForestProducts, Vancouver, B.C.; Larry Petree, Lazy S Lumber, Beavercreek,Ore.; and Archie Rafter, Andersen Pacific Forest Products, Maple Ridge,B.C.

Page 15June/July 2011

Continued on page 17

Green Diamond brand in PRIME andCOMSEL grades; Baillie Lumber Co. nowpromoting international hardwoods as wellas American species; BridgewellResources supplying hardwoods and soft-woods; Frank Miller Lumber specializing inquarter sawn Oak and the HardwoodStates Export Group. Also within the pavilion were Hermitage

Hardwood Lumber Sales offering onlyAppalachian KD lumber; Kretz Lumberwith logs, lumber and dimension; MayfieldLumber Company also specializing inAppalachian hardwoods; Nina Co. LLCfrom Maryland; Northland Corporationfrom Kentucky; Oaks Unlimited offeringcertified hardwoods; Pike Lumber withsteamed Walnut; WeyerhaeuserHardwoods, formerly known as NorthwestHardwoods, also offering certified lumber;Wheeland Lumber Co. Inc. with ripped, cut-size and dimension Pennsylvanian hard-woods; and the Wood ComponentManufacturers Assoc. (WCMA), represent-ed by veteran Executive Director SteveLawser.Malaysia, a long-term supplier to the

Middle East with many traditional ties, wasled by the Malaysian Timber Council(MTC), which maintains its regional officein Dubai. Trueloc International, an engi-neered flooring manufacturer near KualaLumpur, uses the 2G and 5G click systemswith Australian and American hardwoods.Segamat Panel Boards (SPG) specializesin thin panel and laminated and lowformaldehyde emission MDF, made inJohor, Malaysia. Shin Yang from Sarawak,East Malaysia, exhibited a range of ply-wood, veneer, and traditional lumber prod-ucts, as did Golden Star Wood fromLabuan F.T., Malaysia. Softwoods were mainly on offer from local

importers although the largest buildingmaterials distributor in the Gulf, DanubeGroup, was not exhibiting this year.“American Softwoods” – the generic namefor the promotion of Southern Yellow Pine,Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, WesternRed Cedar and Eastern White Pine - wererepresented by a team led by CraigLarsen, President of the Softwood ExportCouncil and by Charles Trevor, London-based consultant to the Southern ForestProducts Association. Looking at the exhi-bition and visiting local stockists it wouldappear that Canadian SPF softwoods andChilean Radiata Pine are the current soft-wood market leaders, although theAmerican suppliers showed clearly thatthey are open for business. New Zealandexporters of Radiata Pine are also verymuch involved in supplying the construc-tion and packaging industry, but withoutmuch profile at the Dubai Wood Show.Canadian exhibitors included BocusCanada from Vancouver, B.C., and GlobalLumber Resources with lumber andveneer supplies from producers worldwide. A significant number of Chinese exhibitors

participated with machinery and wood-working systems, but the big woodworkingmachinery players were Homag fromGermany, Biesse and Cefla both from Italy.The show was supported by Eumabois, theEuropean woodworking machinery promo-tion organization, whose President Franz-Joseph Büttfering participated in the open-ing ceremony and show tour by theMinister. The next Middle East shows this year from

Strategic are the Cairo Wood Show,Sept.15-18, and the Abu Dhabi WoodShow, Oct. 18-20.

•

its contribution to the wood flooring market. Throughout the wood halls there was

much talk about the impending anti-dump-ing duty being imposed by the USA againstChinese imports of 3-ply engineered floor-ing. The Alliance for Free Choice & Jobs inFlooring (AFCJF), the organization of inde-pendent American importers, distributors,retailers and hardwood exporters whooppose the petitioners’ demand to blockimports of flooring from China were repre-sented around the show. Given the extensive use of American

hardwoods, particularly Oak, in China forflooring it was appropriate that AHEC helda central position in the Floortech Hallwhich acted as a meeting place for manu-facturers. Many wanted contact in Chinawith the regional Director, John Chan whowas on hand, technical information, or justa comfortable pause surrounded by a finedisplay of American hardwoods. WithAHEC was the National Wood FlooringAssociation (NWFA) from the USA, repre-sented by board member Mark Ewellwhose company Bamboo Flooring HawaiiLLC also deals in hardwoods. SeveralChinese companies, such as JiahengWood from Dalian, are members of NWFAwhich is open to membership international-ly. American Wood suppliers Graf BrothersLumber & Flooring, offering both rift/quar-ter sawn and flat cut Oak and Walnut,exhibited independently. Close by wasAHEC member DV Hardwoods, aCanadian company based in Quebec andpartnered with Lauzon Flooring of theUSA. Hard Maple lumber is DVHardwood’s speciality as well as some SoftMaple; although it had White and Red Oak,

symbols underneath. This year the sig-nage was almost universally reversed withhuge Chinese signage underwritten insmall English translations. The grandiose presentation of exhibits

was as splendid as one comes to expect inChina and many of the stands were hugein size. Also new is the apparent explosivegrowth of bamboo flooring in China. Inwood however Oak remains the dominantflooring species with evermore creative fin-ishes, but there end the innovations withmore of the same from most exhibitors. Subtle changes are also taking place on

the “green” front with more companiespresenting their green credentials andeven some FSC and PEFC certificates orlogos on show. In this respect the bambooproducers were having a field day extollingtheir completely green advantages,although the day may come when theyhave to provide Environmental ProductDeclarations (EPDs) in which the embod-ied energy data and adhesive contentdetails in flat bamboo flooring may blunttheir green boasting somewhat.At the heart of Hall N5 was the American

Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) offeringinformation and technical support for oneof the key flooring materials in today’s mar-ket. Also in the show under the FloortechAsia were organizations such as theMalaysian Timber Council, AmericanSoftwoods (AmSo) and wood supply com-panies, such as DV Hardwoods fromCanada, and locally based Exor Trading,all offering European hardwoods.Environmentally conscious Ark Floors, adivision of U.S. company A&W Group, wasone of several offering outdoor decking as

than last year and the first two days of thisthree-day show seemed busier. The officialvisitor number for the show includes thoseinterested in carpet and other floor cover-ings so cannot be taken as a true indicatorof those interested in wood, but there wasdefinitely an improvement. What is new isthe greater emphasis on the rising Chinesedomestic market and a declining interestby some producers in the soft markets ofthe USA and Europe. Some manufacturersspoke of better margins in the domesticmarket than for exports and most are look-ing to expand sales in Asia generally and inChina specifically. The evidence lies clear-ly in the exhibition signage. Just a fewyears ago most stands were signed pre-dominantly in English with smaller Chinese

DUBAI -Continued from page 13

DOMOTEX -Continued from page 1

Ash, Cherry and Walnut (of U.S. origin)was on offer too. China domestic salesaccount for 40% of the total turnover soldthrough their Shanghai office of 10 staff.The Maple, which comes from CanadianCrown Land, is 80% FSC certified. The next Domotex will be Domotex Middle

East to be held in Dubai 12/14 September2011. Also this spring, Interzum Guangzhou

drew large crowds. “Eighty percent of allfurniture uses wood,” stated UrsulaGeismann, GM National Confederation ofGerman Woodworking and FurnitureIndustries, at the full-house InnovationMaterials & Design Forum in Guangzhourecently. Michael Buckley, speaking on current

design and future species in furniture, gavean illustrated explanation of the trends ofsix recent furniture shows in SoutheastAsia. Oak, which is highly sustainable,remains the dominant species and theinnovation is in finishing techniques thatare re-presenting Oak in many new guises.He also predicted that the price of Walnutwill respond to the huge volume of Walnutfurniture currently being offered to the mar-ket. The wood sector was well represented in

Hall 11.2 at Interzum-a show for suppliersto the furniture industry. American andEuropean hardwoods, as well as soft-woods, were on display alongside special-ist plantation hardwoods from SouthAmerica and veneers from many tropicaland temperate countries. Wood-substitutesurfaces from leading producers such as

Page 16 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

DUBAI PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

DOMOTEX PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

AHEC Executive Director Michael Snow (center) meets with PabloPublishing team during the Dubai Wood Show 2011.

Softwood Export Council President Craig Larsen discusses the DubaiWood Show with organizers Dawood Al Shezawi and H.E. Rasid BigFahad.

Jon Swanson (center) American Lumber, Dallas, Texas, discusses prod-ucts with booth guests.

Paul Vance, Northland Corp., LaGrange, Ky. Steve Lawser, executive director, Wood Component ManufacturersAssociation, Marietta, Ga.

Wesley Boles, Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales, Cookeville, Tenn.

Bob Sabistina, grading consultant to National Hardwood LumberAssociation, Memphis, Tenn.; and Tim Kassis, Kretz Lumber Co., Inc.,Antigo, Wis.

Per Danneman hosts the Baillie Lumber Co. (Hamburg, N.Y.) stand andbooth while guests discuss the lumber market. Danneman is Baillieʼssales director for Europe and the Middle East.

Norm Steffy, Cummings Lumber Co., Troy, Pa., at Interzum Guangzhoudiscussing wood products with customer Harrison Wang.

Jack Shannon III, left, mans the J.T. Shannon Lumber Co., (Horn Lake,Miss.) booth at Interzum and fields questions from attendees.

Attendees at the Anderson-Tully Lumber Co. (Vicksburg, Miss.) boothat Interzum.

The AHEC exhibit at Interzum Guangzhou.

John Chan, AHEC director at Domotex China. Viateur Girard and Monique Li, DV Hardwoods Inc., Fassett, Quebec Guests view products on display at the booth of Graf Bros. HardwoodFlooring, South Shore, Ky.