timber design & technology middle east - september 2012
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The regions only magazine and website for woodworking professionalsTRANSCRIPT
1September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
A N A L Y S I S | I N T E R V I E W S | D E S I G N | S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y | T E C H N O L O G Y
OVO lights up downtown Istanbul
Putting LCA at the centre of sustainable design
Timber certification explored
Improved productivity through software
Cambia: Wood made better
Issue 04 | September 2012
iHiB
İSTANBUL HALI İHRACATÇILARI BİRLİĞİ
3September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
FROM THE PUBLISHER
Publisher’scomment
Issue 04 | sePTeMBeR 2012
Timber Design & Technology Magazine
PublisherAndy [email protected]+971 55 9199 783
Marketing Managereric [email protected]+971 4 455 8400
editorTony [email protected]
International RepresentativesRabia AlgaAntexpo Org. | Turkey+90 216 541 [email protected]
Timber Design & Technology is published 6 times a year
by Citrus Media Group (powered by WillyMac Associates FZ LLC)Level 14, Boulevard Plaza - Tower One, emaar Boulevard, Downtown Dubai, PO Box 334155, Dubai, uAe
and is printed by Masar Printing Press Great care is taken to ensure the accuracy of the contents of Timber Design & Technology but the publishers accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. All contents are © 2012 Citrus Media Group and may not be reproduced in any form without prior consent.
Letters and readers’ contributions may be edited at our discretion.
1
September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
A N A L Y S I S | I N T E R V I E W S | D E S I G N | S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y | T E C H N O L O G Y
OVO lights up downtown Istanbul
Putting LCA at the centre of sustainable design
Timber certification explored
Improved productivity through software
Cambia: Wood made better
Issue 04 | September 2012
Cover photo:OVO, Istanbul, Turkey
In the June issue of the magazine, we featured a panel discussion on the legality of timber. In
response, we received a good deal of feedback from our readers that suggests there is indeed a
significant amount of illegally sourced timber coming into the region. However, on a positive note,
the same readers are seeing this percentage decrease year on year. With increased awareness, we
hope to contribute towards further reducing the incidence of this global problem.
Following on from the panel discussion, our lead feature in this issue looks at timber certification. As
well as a general introduction to the subject, we take a closer look at the different certification schemes
around the world. Another interesting topic that we have covered is the recently completed Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA) on US hardwoods by the American Hardwood Export Council. Whilst the debate
rages on with regards to different certification systems, LCA involves the collection and evaluation of
quantitative data on all the inputs and outputs of material, energy and waste flows associated with a
product over its entire life cycle so that its environmental impacts can be determined.
In October, I will be attending the annual meeting of the International Woodworking and Furniture
Suppliers Magazines Association during Intermob in Istanbul. As the first Middle East publication
to be invited to this meeting, I’m looking forward to meeting publishers from more than 20 other
countries and finding out the latest news and trends from the industry across the world. In addition
to distributing the publication at MODEF Expo and Intermob, I will report back on this in the next
issue of the magazine.
Finally, I want to let you know that we have recently launched our website
– www.timberdesignandtechnology.com. You can now read all of the articles published in the previous
issues of the magazine online and we will also be adding news stories and extra features on a weekly basis.
Best Wishes,
5September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
IN THIS ISSUE
Contents
PLUs
p7 Latest news
p46 showtime
P12
P18
P34
12 SUSTAINABILITYPutting LCA at the centre of
sustainable design AHeC report outlines the environmental life cycle of
delivering u.s. hardwood lumber into overseas markets
18 MARKET REPORTPutting forests at the heart of a new,
greener economyNew FAO report profiles how sustainable forestry can
help meet development goals
22 ANALYSISTimber certification
An in-depth look at some of the leading certification programs that have gained widespread acceptance
31 FEATURECambia: Wood made better
Resource efficient technology improves performance and appearance of wood
34 DESIGN & DéCOROVO lights up downtown Istanbul
sensory art installation in Turkey uses Accoya® wood
38 PROFILEPVS International
Leading player confident of 50 percent growth in turnover for 2012
42 TECHNOLOGYImproved productivity
through softwareMartina schwartz, MD, CAD+T talks about the role of
software in the timber industry
46 SHOWTIMEPreview of the upcoming exhibitions
56 INTERVIEWQ&A with Cheah Kam Huan
MTC Global WoodMart 2012 to boost regional timber industry.
1-1_TimberDesignTechnology_06-2012_RZzw.indd 1 31.05.2012 14:03:57
7September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
NEWS
news
After topping the charts for over a decade, the UAE is now third on the
list on the Living Planet Report published by the World Wide Fund for
Nature (WWF). Every two years since 1998, the WWF has produced a
global ecological footprint chart, which measures our need for natural
resources to produce the resources we consume like land for crops
UAE reduces ecology footprint
Ten Central African countries to take part in UN-backed forest monitoring system
Ten Central African countries will take part in a United Nations-backed
initiative that will help them set up national forest monitoring systems
and strengthen cooperation among nations in the region. The initiative
targets the forests of Africa’s Congo Basin, which consist of some 200
million hectares and are one of the world’s largest primary rainforests,
second only to the Amazon. The region’s forests also support the
livelihoods of some 60 million people.
The USD 7.3 million will help protect these forests from direct
threats such as land-use change and unsustainable logging and mining,
and will provide up-to-date and accurate information on the current
state of forests that will help countries manage and prevent forest
degradation activities. The project will be jointly managed by the
Central Africa Forests Commission (COMIFAC) and the UN Food and
Agriculture Organization (FAO) in close collaboration with the Brazilian
National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
“Learning from Brazil, the national forest monitoring system is the key
element to pave the road for substantive international support to protect
forests and promote sustainable forest management,” said Eduardo Rojas,
Assistant Director-General of the FAO Forestry Department.
The 10 participant countries are Burundi, Cameroon, Central African
Republic (CAR), Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC),
Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Rwanda, and São Tomé
and Principe. FAO will provide technical support to the countries,
enabling them to use remote sensing technologies to estimate forest
cover and forest cover changes as well as to estimate the amount of
carbon stocks contained in forests in the region.
The initiative will be funded through the Congo Basin Forests Fund,
launched by the Governments of Norway and the United Kingdom
through the African Development Bank. The project will also assist
countries in preparing funding proposals for creating sustainable forest
monitoring systems for each country, as part of the REDD+ initiative
(Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation
in Developing Countries). The REDD+ initiative seeks to create a
financial value for the carbon stored in forests, offering incentives
for developing countries to reduce emissions from forested lands and
invest in low-carbon paths to sustainable development.
and grazing, fishing grounds, forests and others and then compares
this to nature’s ability to meet this demand. Despite the UAE’s total
environmental footprint being well below 1 percent of that of the rest
of the world, its per capita footprint of 8.4 global hectares (gha) per
person is several times higher than the global average.
According to the report, the overall demand for natural resources
has doubled since 1966. Today, humanity needs 1.5 planets to
sustain itself, meaning that people are degrading natural resources
at an alarming rate. The UAE is however becoming more aware of
the need to conserve resources with recent measures such as the
introduction of efficiency standards for some air-conditioning units,
green building codes in Abu Dhabi and renewable-energy targets
in the capital and in Dubai all contributing towards lowering its
ecological footprint.
Second place in the chart belongs to Kuwait where the per-capita
footprint is just under 10 gha per person. Qatar, the world’s largest
exporter of liquefied natural gas, holds the number one spot with
nearly 12 gha per person. Other countries with the biggest Ecological
Footprint per person are Denmark, Belgium, the US, Estonia, Canada,
Australia and Ireland.
8 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
NEWS
Nanocoatings to protect wood against weathering
Resolute Forest Products now world’s largest manager of Forest Stewardship Council® Certified Forests
A new study that investigates the effect of TiO2 nanoparticles
and nanoclay in acrylic stain coatings against the influence of
weathering is underway in Norway. Scientists have studied
coated wooden claddings and the influence of nanoparticles on
the weathering performance. They carried out accelerated climate
aging experiments and cup measurements in order to investigate
the effect of adding TiO2 nanoparticles and nanoclay to acrylic
stain coatings against the influence of weathering.
The coated specimens resistance toward solar radiation
and water spray was evaluated by the discoloration rate from
visual assessment and color analysis and by the chemical
changes observed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
Furthermore water vapor resistance was examined by the cup
measurements. The nanomaterial containing coatings provided
in general better protection against the artificial aging than
the unmodified coating, showing the nanomaterials may have a
natural place in coatings for protection of wood. The results of
this study are due out later this year.
Resolute Forest Products (NYSE: RFP) (TSX: RFP) and the World
Wildlife Fund (WWF) have announced that Resolute has become
the largest manager of Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) certified
forests in the world. The company recently certified 3.2 million
hectares of forestlands in the Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec to
the FSC Boreal Standard. This certification raises the total area of
Resolute-managed FSC-certified forests in North America to 10.3
million hectares, an area twice the size of Nova Scotia and larger
than Portugal, Hungary or South Korea.
“Becoming the world’s largest FSC holder is a major milestone
in our efforts to become a positive force for sustainability
within the forest products industry,” stated Richard Garneau,
Resolute’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Resolute’s
growing commitment to FSC complements other key sustainability
initiatives, including the company’s membership in WWF’s Climate
Savers Program, which helps companies set and achieve ambitious
emission reduction targets, as well as membership in the landmark
Canadian Boreal Forest Agreement.”
“WWF congratulates Resolute for their FSC-certification
achievement,” said Gerald Butts, President and Chief Executive
Officer, WWF-Canada. “This success, coupled with their
commitment to the Climate Savers program, shows the value and
importance of making conservation a business priority, and the
critical role that corporations can and must play in addressing the
major environmental challenges we are facing today.”
Under the WWF Climate Savers Program, Resolute has pledged
to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent
below 2000 levels by 2015. Resolute also made a series of other
commitments as part of its Climate Savers membership, including
increasing its FSC certification to 80 percent by 2015. With the
latest certification, Resolute has passed the halfway point in
delivering on its 80 percent commitment.
“Resolute Forest Products has long played an important
role in the Ontario forest products industry. Certainly this is a
tremendous milestone for Resolute and we are proud of their
ongoing commitment to sustainable forest management practices,”
stated Michael Gravelle, Ontario Minister of Natural Resources. “I
want to personally congratulate all the employees of Resolute on
this accomplishment, and I look forward to continuing our close
working relationship with the company as we strengthen the
sector together.”
Richard Garneau, President and CEO, Resolute Forest Products
Imag
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Pro
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9September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
NEWS
Using wood more intelligently: Research gets underway in NRP 66 ‘Resource Wood’
Australia: Timber demand is growing
The National Research Programme ‘Resource Wood’ (NRP 66) has
announced a research project to explore how wood could be more
widely used, and to develop the principles of a sustainable resource
management. The challenges of climate change and increasingly scarce
resources have catapulted wood, a renewable resource storing carbon
dioxide, into the focus of science, industry and society and the NRP
66 aims to establish scientific knowledge and practical methods for
increasing the availability of wood as a resource and expanding its use.
“We want to optimize the uses of wood without jeopardizing other
functions of forests, such as protection and recreation,” said Martin
Riediker, President of the Steering Committee of NRP 66. “NRP 66 is
expected to provide basic knowledge that will enable policy makers,
the wood industry and the forestry sector to set the right course
towards an intelligent use of wood.”
In Switzerland, wood is primarily used as a building material and as
a fuel. More recently, it has attracted growing attention as a renewable
resource that also stores the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) and
has the potential to replace oil as a fuel and basic chemical substance.
Against this backdrop, the 28 projects of NRP 66 are setting out to
show how wood could be used more intelligently in the future. The
research focuses on three areas:
New approaches to timber constructions: The aim is to improve the
material properties of wood. One research team is exploring how light-
reactive substances, so-called photoinitiators, can be used to treat the
surface of wood to improve its bonding properties. This process could
make coated wood suitable for outdoor applications. Another aspect of
the research is to try to improve the use of wood in building systems
and supporting structures. The objective is to develop an optimized
timber system for multi-storey wooden structures that is more
resistant to earthquakes and strong winds.
Waste wood for biorefineries: In the second area, researchers are
exploring various approaches to using waste wood as fuel or as a raw
material for chemical substances. One research team is further developing
existing technology to produce synthetic gas from waste wood, whilst
another is creating artificial proteins, which will make it easier to extract
lignin from wood. Lignin is used in the production of phenols and solvents.
New materials with wood: In the third area, researchers will develop
technologies to create new materials on the basis of wood. One
research team is developing a process to produce special wood boards
with a foam core. They are lighter than standard boards and are
particularly suited to flat-pack furniture.
The Australian sawn timber industry is experiencing a temporary
threat from imports as a result of a strong dollar and a global surplus
of timber following the global financial crisis, according to BIS
Shrapnel, a leading independent economic forecaster and industry
analyst. In the two years to 2011, imports have increased by 30
percent. However, imports are not a significant long-term threat, as
they are still well below the historical levels of 20 years ago. According
to BIS Shrapnel’s Sawn Timber in Australia, 2012 to 2026 report, in the
last two decades there has been a significant reduction in sawn timber
imports, as domestic production capacity has expanded. At the same
time, exports have grown rapidly in the past five years.
The report projects that demand for sawn timber in Australia
during the next decade will be driven by a sharp growth in the
building and construction sector. Due to the current undersupply of
residential dwellings in Australia, BIS Shrapnel forecasts the residential
construction sector, which uses more than 70 percent of the sawn
timber produced locally, will grow particularly strongly during 2014
and 2015. Moreover, average annual domestic demand for sawn
timber is forecast to increase from 4.9 million to 5.4 million cubic
meters between 2012 and 2015, and rise again in the decade to
2026, from 5.4 million to 5.7 million cubic meters. This is compared to
demand in 2011 of only 5.1 million cubic meters.
“Unless domestic capacity is significantly increased to meet
projected demand then imports will likely rise again over the long
term,” said BIS Shrapnel report author and senior manager, Bernie
Neufeld. “This suggests the Australian industry has the potential to
accommodate new mills to service the domestic market and potential
export markets. There is a need to expand the plantation resource to
allow this to happen.”
10 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
NEWS
Deforestation in Brazil’s rainforest down 23 percent
INTERPOL launches ‘Project LEAF’ to combat illegal logging worldwide
The Brazilian government has announced that deforestation in the
Brazilian Amazon rainforest fell 23 percent in the 12 months ending
in July 2012 from the previous year. According to the Brazilian
Ministry of the Environment, 2,040 square kilometers of woods were
cut down from August 2011 to July 2012, meaning that almost 700
square kilometers of woods were spared, compared to the same time
frame last year.
Logging in almost all states within the Amazon rainforest area in
Brazil fell with Roraima in the northern border as the only exception,
where deforestation rose 218 percent in this period. The sharpest
decrease, 67 percent, was registered in Maranhao state.
According to Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira, the reduction
in deforestation was a direct result of the enforcement of laws
against illegal logging and the improvement of monitoring systems.
The minister explained that the satellite monitoring system to verify
deforestation in some regions did not function well last year due to
clouds. Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research will launch a new
satellite, which is scheduled to be operational by January 2013. With
the new equipment, monitoring is expected to improve further.
INTERPOL has announced the launch of Project LEAF (Law Enforcement
Assistance for Forests), an initiative dedicated to combating all aspects
of forestry crime, including illegal logging and timber trafficking.
Project LEAF, a partnership between INTERPOL and the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP), with financial support from the
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), is an
innovative, international response representing the first time that
organizations of this stature have joined forces against this organized,
sophisticated and transnational crime.
The criminals responsible for illegal logging are destroying
biodiversity, threatening the livelihoods of those reliant on forest
resources and contributing directly to climate change. With corruption,
violence and even murder tied to illegal logging, this type of crime
can also affect a country’s stability and security. Nearly 1.6 billion
people - more than a quarter of the world’s population - rely on forests
for their fuel, food, and medicines. The poorer the people, the greater
their dependency with more than 90 percent of those living below the
dollar-a-day poverty line either fully or partly dependent on forest
products for their livelihoods.
Collusive corruption and fraud in the forestry sector undermines
the rule of law and confidence in government institutions significantly
hampering efforts to tackle poverty amongst the world’s poorest
people. To be truly effective, actions against illegal logging must be
coordinated, collaborative and transnational. Crackdowns in one
country must be supported by others in order to prevent illegal
loggers, who frequently have access to extensive international funding
channels in addition to using illicit land, sea and air networks to switch
countries and evade detection.
“In 2010, INTERPOL received at its General Assembly in Qatar
a unanimous mandate from its member countries to expand its
response to environmental crime worldwide. Project LEAF represents
INTERPOL’s commitment to this mandate and to ensuring the safety
and security of communities. The world is recognizing that illegal
logging is neither simply a moral nor a national issue. The international
legislation to protect forests and curtail illegal logging demonstrates
this,” said David Higgins, INTERPOL’s Environmental Crime Programme
manager. “Project LEAF will ensure these global laws are supported by
global enforcement and that the criminals responsible are brought to
justice – no matter their location, movements, or resources.”
INTERPOL and UNEP are uniquely placed to bring new tools and
experiences to the global law enforcement fight against illegal loggers
and ensure a truly international net closes around these criminals
dedicated to environmental exploitation and destruction. Project
LEAF will conduct groundbreaking, intelligence-led law enforcement
operations against those involved in illegal logging and will work
to further the skills, capabilities, and capacities of law enforcement
agencies to aid countries in sustainably managing their forest
resources and contribute to the fight against climate change.
DOMOTEX Asia/CHINAFLOOR 2013 to throw the spotlight on ‘innovation’ within the flooring industry
Wemhöner Surface Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
Planckstraße 7 32052 Herford | Germany
Phone + 49 5221 77 020 Fax + 49 5221 77 0239
www.wemhoener.de [email protected]
Premium quality and refined in appearance – yet cost-effective to produce – that’s what’sexpected of today’s furnishings, laminatesand doors. Wemhöner MasterLine® systems allowthe grains of the finest woods to be realistically reproduced on materials such as MDF, particle board or veneer – with single or with multiple colours. Its modular construction makes it suitable for integration with existing coating lines.
At the Wemhöner Technology Centre in Herford, Germany, we work with you to turn your ideas into reality. Make an appointment at our technical centre to test your ideas.
Wemhöner Surface Technologies – we create your surface.
MasterLine®, lacquering- anddirect printing technology for
wood-based panel surface fi nishing.
MASTERLINE®
Wemhöner Surface Technologies GmbH & Co. KG
Planckstraße 7 32052 Herford | Germany
Phone + 49 5221 77 020 Fax + 49 5221 77 0239
www.wemhoener.de [email protected]
Premium quality and refined in appearance – yet cost-effective to produce – that’s what’sexpected of today’s furnishings, laminatesand doors. Wemhöner MasterLine® systems allowthe grains of the finest woods to be realistically reproduced on materials such as MDF, particle board or veneer – with single or with multiple colours. Its modular construction makes it suitable for integration with existing coating lines.
At the Wemhöner Technology Centre in Herford, Germany, we work with you to turn your ideas into reality. Make an appointment at our technical centre to test your ideas.
Wemhöner Surface Technologies – we create your surface.
MasterLine®, lacquering- anddirect printing technology for
wood-based panel surface fi nishing.
MASTERLINE®
The 15th edition of DOMOTEX Asia/CHINAFLOOR, which will be held
in Shanghai from 26-28 March, 2013, is set to throw the spotlight
on ‘innovation’ within the flooring industry, according to a statement
issued by the organizers of the event. Recognizing the importance of
innovation for the industry to evolve and regenerate, the organizers
have announced the introduction of a new outstanding medium
conceived to boost the most innovative products of the flooring
industry. Within this constantly renewing exhibition platform, this
project itself will represent innovation.
The organizers have also announced that a new segment is being
launched as part of the 2013 edition. The premium segment, which
is completely dedicated to ceramic tiles and stones flooring, will
showcase high-end products from renowned South European and Latin
American producers. For the 2013 edition, visitors and exhibitors
will once again enjoy the added benefits of the association with the
Shanghai Architect Fair that will take place simultaneously. The fair
attracts influential architects, designers and builders, who are experts
on consumer trends and therefore pose as a valuable resource for
exhibitors at DOMOTEX Asia/CHINAFLOOR. In 2012, more than thirty
worldwide renowned architects and designers, such as Kengo Kuma,
Waro Kishi, Paul De Ruiter, Caroline Bos, David Gianotten, Martin
Robain, Chen Youjian, Mi Qiu, and Dai Zhikang shared their vision and
ideas on new projects and industry hot topics during the exhibition
and the organizers are confident of the same in 2013.
Committed to serve and support the industry in its innovation
process, the organizers have announced their commitment towards
efforts in highlighting forward thinking companies. The show stands
out from other leading shows on accounts of its ideal position at the
core of the emerging and vibrant Asia Pacific region and organizers
are confident of a successful exhibition, both for visitors and for
exhibitors. Testament to the importance of the event, a majority of
the industry players, including the likes of Mohawk, Lamett, Beulieu,
Gerflor, Suminoe, and Invista, have confirmed their participation for
the 2013 edition.
Imag
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12 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
Putting LCA at the centre of sustainable design: an American hardwood case studyAHEC report outlines the environmental life cycle of delivering U.S. hardwood lumber into overseas markets
If sustainability is ever to become
more than a mere aspiration
in design, manufacturing and
construction, decisions need to be
made based on hard facts. New tools
are needed to bring in data from
numerous sources covering a huge
range of environmental impacts.
These tools must also be flexible
enough to accommodate widely
different materials and contexts, and
yet accessible so that environmental
information can be readily integrated
into the design process without adding
excess cost.
That’s a very tall order - but a
widening range of scientists, industry
groups, specifiers, government
and consumer interests have been
chipping away at the problem now
for several years. Their efforts
are beginning to show results.
Central to this process has been
the development of the Life Cycle
Assessment (LCA), a scientific method
involving collection and evaluation
of quantitative data on all the inputs
and outputs of material, energy
and waste flows associated with a
product over its entire life cycle so
that the environmental impacts can
be determined.
The LCA process is now covered
by international standards, the
ISO14040 series, to ensure results
are scientifically rigorous and not
subject to manipulation by different
industrial sectors. The standards
require, for example, that data
collection and analysis is undertaken
by independent third parties and
subject to critical review by a panel
of independent experts.
AHEC, which represents
the interests of exporters of
hardwood lumber and veneer
AHEC has published a comprehensive report on the environmental life cycle of delivering U.S. hardwood lumber into overseas markets. Fully ISO conformant and receiving high praise from independent LCA experts, the report is being used as the basis for innovative tools to integrate sustainability into product design
SUSTAINABILITY
Image © AHEC
13September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
from the United States, is actively
promoting an LCA based approach
to sustainable material use
and design to help overcome
widespread misconceptions about
the environmental credentials of
hardwood products. It is often
assumed, for example, that because
hardwoods are usually derived from
managed natural forests and ‘slow
to grow’, their use contributes to
forest degradation or deforestation.
Another common assumption is
that because American hardwoods
have to be transported across the
Atlantic, they must have a higher
carbon footprint than locally
produced materials.
This led AHEC to embark on a
comprehensive LCA project with two
major objectives: first to ensure full
conformance to ISO14040 to ensure
the credibility of the data; and second
to ensure that the LCA data is made
available in such a form that it is
useful to decision-makers in material
specification and product design.
PE International, an independent
company, was engaged to undertake
the work due to its experience of LCA
in a wide range of business sectors
and ability to offer innovative LCA
tools. These include PE’s proprietary
Gabi software, which facilitates
collection and analysis of LCA data,
and an ‘i-report’ system to make
this data accessible and useable by
designers and manufacturers. PE has
also been heavily engaged in efforts
to develop a global standardized
framework for reporting of LCA
data in Environmental Product
Declarations (EPDs).
At the start of the process, AHEC
and PE International assembled a
high-powered Critical Review Panel
chaired by Dr Matthias Finkbeiner,
a professor at Berlin University
who also chairs the ISO committee
developing international LCA
standards. By involving the panel
in the project early on, rather than
simply seeking their endorsement at
the end, methodological issues could
be dealt with as they arose. When
the final LCA report was published
in July 2012, the panel not only
confirmed its compliance to the ISO
standard, but also “found the overall
quality of the methodology and its
execution to be excellent.”
The report provides a
comprehensive analysis of U.S.
hardwood lumber’s profile across a
wide range of environmental impacts.
In technical terms it is a ‘Cradle-to-
gate plus transport’ study, covering
all impacts associated with extracting
the wood in the forest, transporting,
sawing and kiln-drying the material in
the United States, and then delivering
the lumber to the importers yard in
major overseas markets.
Benefitting the forest environment
The report includes a qualitative
assessment of land use and land use
change, biodiversity, water resource
and toxicity impacts associated with
supply of U.S. hardwood lumber,
indicating very low environmental
impact across all these categories.
On land-use change, it observes
“in the system under investigation
the main material - wood - comes
from naturally re-grown forests.
The harvested areas had undergone
several iterations of harvesting and
re-growth. After harvesting, the land
is returned to forest so there is no
direct land use change to account for
in the timeline of few hundred years”.
SUSTAINABILITY
Image © AHEC
The report includes a qualitative assessment of land use and land use change, biodiversity, water resource and toxicity impacts associated with supply of U.S. hardwood lumber
On biodiversity impacts, the
study concludes that: “Conversion
of any other commercial land into
the hardwood forest would most
probably be a positive impact on the
land quality including biodiversity
and associated ecosystem services”.
On toxicity it notes that: “In the
production of hardwood lumber
there are no fertilizers or wood
treatment chemicals or any other
known substances of particular
toxicity concern”. On water resources
it comments: “hardwood lumber is
expected to have very low impacts”.
While some impacts are treated
qualitatively in the LCA report,
others are dealt with quantitatively.
The report provides numerical
data on Global Warming Potential
(GWP - better known as carbon
footprint), Acidification Potential
(AP), Eutrophication Potential (EP),
Photochemical Ozone Creation
Potential (POCP), and Ozone
Depletion Potential (ODP). It also
identifies which processes along
the supply chain (forestry, sawing,
Roderick Wiles, AHEC Director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania
14 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
kilning, transport) are most important
in determining each of these impacts.
It includes a sensitivity analysis to
show how environmental impacts
vary according to key factors such
as species, lumber thickness, and
transport distance and mode.
Wide variation between U.S.
hardwood species
A key conclusion from this number
crunching is that variation in
environmental profile is at least as
dependent on species and thickness
as it is on transport factors. Providing
average results for ‘sawn hardwood
lumber’ can be very misleading and
data needs to be reported separately
for each individual hardwood species
and board thickness. This is mainly
because the kiln drying process
consumes a surprisingly large share
of the energy needed to produce and
deliver hardwood lumber. The time
lumber spends in the kiln also varies
widely between species and by
thickness. For example, for 1” lumber,
oak typically needs to be kilned
at least three times longer than
tulipwood. And 3” lumber requires
more than 4 times as long in the kiln
as 1” lumber.
While kiln drying has more of an
impact than might be expected, the
global warming impact of transport
is less. Even very large changes in
transport distance result in relatively
minor changes in carbon dioxide
emissions. For example, for 1” white
oak lumber, the carbon footprint
of delivering into London (shipping
distance 720 km by road and 6,300
km by sea) is little different from
that of delivering into central Poland
(1,265 km by road, 7,735 km by sea).
Even transporting lumber all the
way from the Eastern United States
to Australia, via Suez and Singapore
(2,205 km by road, 25,000 km by
sea), results in a carbon footprint no
more than 50 percent greater than
that of delivery into the UK. Whilst
exact numbers for the Middle East are
yet to be published, the report clearly
shows how transport is a relatively
minor factor in the overall carbon
footprint of American hardwoods.
What about wood’s carbon storage?
Like all wood products, close to
50 percent of the dry mass of U.S.
hardwood lumber comprises carbon,
which has been absorbed as the
tree grows through photosynthesis.
In fact, the data gathered by PE
shows that the amount of carbon
stored in U.S. hardwood lumber
almost always exceeds the emissions
required to extract, process and
transport that lumber into any
export market worldwide. However,
all the above observations about
carbon footprint ignore this storage
benefit of the lumber. That’s because
the scope of this particular LCA
report is restricted in that it ends at
the point of delivery - unavoidable
since it’s not possible for producers
to know how their material will be
used. Treatments, fixings, further
processing, life-span and method
of disposal all have an influence on
carbon storage. These need to be
fully accounted for in future ‘cradle-
to-grave’ studies of manufactured
products containing U.S. hardwood
– before it is appropriate to make
far-reaching claims about the ‘carbon
neutrality’ of the raw material.
The AHEC study facilitates this
next step by providing conservative
estimates of the amount of carbon
stored in U.S. hardwood lumber
products. This treatment of the
carbon properties of wood products,
which aligns with international
best practice, was singled out for
particular praise by the Critical
Review Panel: “Another commendable
aspect of the study is the
conservative approach taken with
regard to modeling biogenic carbon
removals from the atmosphere. The
study quantifies the biogenic carbon
uptake in forestry, and reports this
separately from the cradle-to-gate
result. This transparent and unbiased
treatment of the biogenic carbon
Providing average results for ‘sawn hardwood lumber’ can be very misleading and data needs to be reported separately for each individual hardwood species and board thickness
SUSTAINABILITY
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Keeping carbon out of the atmosphere.Naturally.
American hardwood.
Each kilogram of U.S. hardwood product stores the equivalent of 1.835 kilograms of CO2 for as long as it remains in use.
For more information visit: www.americanhardwood.org
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16 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
The next stage of the project, and the most challenging, aims to integrate life cycle thinking into all stages in the design, manufacturing and delivery of products containing U.S. hardwoods
AHEC tEAms up witH tHE RoyAl CollEgE of ARt to mERgE dEsign witH sustAinAbility
AHEC is collaborating with product design students at the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London to produce and exhibit chairs during the London Design Festival (LDF) 2012. The exhibition has been titled ‘Out of the Woods’ and is set to go on display at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum during LDF 2012, which will run from September 14 - 23, 2012. AHEC’s decision to partner with the London Design Festival follows the hugely successful ‘Timber Wave’ installation at the LDF last year and is reflective of AHEC’s continuing commitment to educate, increase awareness and promote the environmental credentials of American hardwoods.
Under the leadership of tutors Sebastian Wrong and Harry Richardson, the students have been set the challenge to design a functional chair or seat in an American hardwood of their choice. The designs will then be developed into working prototypes with the help of Benchmark, internationally renowned for its craftsmanship in wood and long-standing relationship with designer Terence Conran. AHEC is well known in the international design community for its creative promotion of hardwood, having worked with the likes of David Adjaye, Matteo Thun, Sou Fujimoto, Arup and Amanda Levete. Through this initiative, the attention has turned to the potential stars of the future with a unique and groundbreaking project for students.
According to Sebastian Wrong, the project “offers a pioneering opportunity for students to create designs within the context of a
stark reality.” His co-tutor Harry Richardson added, “it is not only a case of designing a chair that will survive physically far in to the future, it is also to produce a chair whose design will remain relevant far in to the future.”
Education and research provides a unique element to the project because AHEC is using, for the first time, its ground-breaking Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) research to help the students produce detailed life cycle impacts for their designs. Each chosen prototype will be environmentally profiled using an LCA modeling system developed for AHEC by sustainability experts - PE International. AHEC is in the process of producing the first-ever Environmental Product Declaration for American hardwood lumber and veneer and it is this data that will be used by the students to build a full ‘cradle-to-grave’ impact for their designs.
“Following our recent collaboration with Benchmark at Salone del Mobile earlier this year, we are excited to partner with them again on this important project that will help students understand and appreciate the beauty of hardwoods. We remain positive that the entire exercise will help the students from the RCA witness first hand the craftsmanship at Benchmark and more importantly understand the full environmental impact of their designs,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania.
issue supports proper use of the
data for future assessments of the
complete life cycle of American
hardwood based products”.
The data provided on carbon
storage in U.S. hardwoods again
highlights that there are significant
variations between U.S. species that
need to be taken into account during
the design process. Denser species like
oak and hickory store more carbon
for each cubic meter than less dense
species like tulipwood and willow.
Bringing LCA into design with U.S.
hardwoods
The next stage of the project, and the
most challenging, aims to integrate
life cycle thinking into all stages
in the design, manufacturing and
delivery of products containing U.S.
hardwoods. As a first step, the LCA
data for U.S. hardwood lumber is
being made available to suppliers
and specifiers by way of PE’s online
‘i-report’ tool - this enables specific
data to be generated for individual
species, lumber thickness, processing
parameters (such as kiln efficiency and
energy sources), transport distances
and modes (truck, ship, rail). AHEC is
also commissioning the preparation
of formal Environmental Product
Declarations in line with various
national EPD programmes including
BRE’s Environmental Profiles. The
LCA data will also soon be introduced
into AHEC’s existing technical species
guides and project case studies,
which have long provided guidance
and inspiration for use of American
hardwoods in construction, interiors
and furniture manufacturing.
However, perhaps the most
innovative of AHEC’s initiatives is
a joint project currently on-going
with PE and the Royal College of Art
in London to develop an ‘i-report’
system for furniture designers. For
the first time, this project will allow
furniture designers to develop a
genuine understanding of the real
and very direct environmental
impact of their decisions when using
U.S. hardwoods.
The full report is available at:
www.americanhardwood.org/
sustainability/life-cycle-assessment/
SUSTAINABILITY
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MARKET REPORT
Putting forests at the heart of a new, greener economy
New FAO report profiles how sustainable forestry can help meet development goals
In a new report, The State of the World’s
Forests 2012 (SOFO 2012), the UN Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO) makes
the case that better and more sustainable use
of forestry resources can make a significant
contribution to meeting many of the core
challenges being discussed at the Rio+20
conference organized earlier this year. These
challenges include reducing poverty and
hunger, minimizing the impacts of climate
change, and creating alternative and more
sustainable sources of bio-products and bio-
energy for human use.
“Forests and trees on farms are a direct
source of food, energy, and cash income for
more than a billion of the world’s poorest
people,” said Eduardo Rojas-Briales, FAO
Assistant Director-General for Forestry. “At the
same time, forests trap carbon and mitigate
climate change, maintain water and soil health,
and prevent desertification. The sustainable
management of forests offers multiple
benefits - with the right programs and policies,
the sector can lead the way towards more
sustainable, greener economies.”
The report was presented during an event
at the Rio+20 Conference organized by FAO
and its partners, the Brazilian Pulp and Paper
Association (Bracelpa) and the International
Council of Forest and Paper Associations
(ICFPA). SOFO 2012, the 10th in the SOFO
series, highlighted some of the main avenues
in which money could figuratively grow on
trees, including:
Critical life support systems: Trees can
perform a range of ‘essential ecosystem
funtions’, such as regulating water supplies
and buffering floods and droughts.
Engine of economic development: SOFO
highlights the strong link between
reforestation and growth, and deforestation
and economic decline, hence the anti-poverty
role of forests.
Key component of greening other sectors:
Wood is still the primary energy source for
one-third of the world’s population. Therefore
- with the right policies - it can be expanded to
provide a global greener, cleaner energy source.
The report concluded that forests and forest
products ‘will not solve the challenges of
moving towards greener economies, but they
will provide excellent examples and a source
of hope’. Timber Design & Technology takes an
in-depth look at some of the findings of the
FAO report.
19September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
MARKET REPORT
Supporting livelihoodsInvestments in wood-based enterprises
can generate jobs, create assets and help
revitalize the lives of millions of people in
rural areas, according to the report. Some
350 million of the world’s poorest people,
including 60 million indigenous people,
depend on forests for their daily subsistence
and long-term survival. ‘On-farm forestry,’
also known as agroforestry, is in some cases
contributing up to 40 percent of farm income
via harvesting of wood, fruits, oils and
medicines.
Despite sometimes having a poor
reputation due to concerns over deforestation,
wood products - if sourced from well-run
forestry operations - can store carbon and
are easily recycled. Forest-based industries
around the world are innovating competitive
new products and processes to substitute
non-renewable materials, and by doing so
are opening pathways towards low-carbon
bio-economies. The report argues for the
promotion of a sustainable forest-based
industry that offers a way to improve rural
economies while meeting sustainability goals.
But while the report indicates that the
value of forest products exports more than
doubled between 2002 to 2010 in certain
areas, it also says that more attention needs
to be paid to promoting the creation of small
and medium scale forest-based enterprises
that benefit local communities.
“Brazil has successful examples of forest
plantation management, and its good
practices can be disseminated to other
developing countries in order to promote the
green economy and strengthen the synergies
between sustainable development and climate
change mitigation. The Rio+20 discussions
must be the starting point to strengthen the
balance of the triple bottom line. Brazil’s pulp
and paper industry is prepared to promote
innovation in biotechnology and sequestration
of forest carbon that can support a
sustainable expansion of triple bottom
line activities. This means social inclusion
and protection of the environment,” stated
Elizabeth de Carvalhaes, Executive President,
Bracelpa.
Renewable energyFAO’s report also argues that sustainable
forestry offers a renewable, alternative source
of energy.
“Burning wood may be the oldest method
by which humans acquire energy, but it is
anything but obsolete,” said Rojas-Briales.
Today, wood energy is still the dominant
source of energy for over one third of
the world’s population - in particular for
the poor, he noted. “And as the search
for renewable energy sources intensifies,
we must not overlook the considerable
opportunities for forest biomass-based
energy to emerge as a cleaner and greener
alternative,” he said.
According to SOFO 2012, deriving energy
from wood can offer a climate-neutral
and socially equitable solution, provided
the wood is harvested from sustainably
managed forests, burned using appropriate
technologies, and undertaken in combination
with reforestation and sustainable forest
management programs.
The report further states that increasing the
The world’s forests have a major role to play in the transition to a new, greener economy, a theme being discussed at the Rio+20 Conference. But to spark that shift, governments must enact programs and policies aimed at both unlocking the potential of forests and ensuring that they are sustainably managed
20 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
MARKET REPORT
About fAoThe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, and helps developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all.
Besides its headquarters in Rome, FAO is present in over 130 countries. The decentralized network includes 5 regional offices, 11 sub-regional offices, 2 multi-disciplinary teams, 74 fully fledged country offices (excluding those hosted in regional and sub-regional offices), 8 offices with technical officers/FAO Representatives, and 36 countries covered through multiple accreditation. In addition, the Organization maintains 5 liaison offices and 4 information offices in developed countries.
FAO is composed of seven departments: Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Economic and Social Development; Fisheries and Aquaculture; Forestry; Corporate Services, Human Resources and Finance; Natural Resources Management and Environment; and Technical Cooperation.
FAO’s activities comprise four main areas:
Putting information within reach: FAO serves as a knowledge network using the expertise of its staff - agronomists, foresters, fisheries and livestock specialists, nutritionists, social scientists, economists, statisticians and other professionals - to collect, analyze and disseminate data that aid development.
Sharing policy expertise: FAO lends its years of experience to member countries in devising agricultural policy, supporting planning, drafting effective legislation and creating national strategies to achieve rural development and hunger alleviation goals.
Providing a meeting place for nations: On any given day, dozens of policy-makers and experts from around the globe convene at the FAO headquarters or in its field offices to forge agreements on major food and agriculture issues. As a neutral forum, FAO provides the setting where rich and poor nations can come together to build common understanding.
Bringing knowledge to the field: FAO’s breadth of knowledge is put to the test in thousands of field projects throughout the world. FAO mobilizes and manages millions of dollars provided by industrialized countries, development banks and other sources to make sure the projects achieve their goals. FAO provides the technical know-how and in a few cases is a limited source of funds. In crisis situations, FAO works side-by-side with the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies to protect rural livelihoods and help people rebuild their lives.
www.fao.org
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use of renewable energy, including wood-
based fuels, relative to fossil fuels may be
one of the most important components of a
global transition to a low carbon economy
model. Sustainable energy production from
wood can create local employment and can be
used to redirect expenditures from imported
fossil fuels to investments in domestic sources
of energy, with employment and income
benefits.
However, FAO also cautions that doing
so will require careful attention to existing
patterns of wood energy dependence, the use
of sustainable forest management practices
in the harvesting and planting of trees,
and the adoption of efficient technologies
for converting biomass into heat and
cogeneration (heat/electricity).
Carbon capture to mitigate climate changeSOFO 2012 states that by reducing
deforestation and restoring lost forests on a
large scale, significant amounts of carbon can
be removed from the atmosphere, further
reducing the severity and impacts of climate
change. At the same time, such projects would
also support rural livelihoods and provide
renewable raw materials for sustainable
building using more wood and bamboo
as well as bio-energy. Nearly 2 billion
hectares of land area have been identified
through the Global Partnership on Forest
Landscape Restoration as being suitable for
restoration. In addition, afforestation provides
the additional benefit of helping combat
desertification and soil degradation.
Supporting policiesAccording to SOFO 2012, putting forests at the
heart of a new, green economy will require,
first and foremost, policies and programmes
that give entrepreneurs incentives to pursue
the sustainable utilization of forest resources.
This includes the removal of perverse
incentives that result in deforestation and
degradation and conversion of forests to
other uses as well as those promoting the
use of non-renewable raw materials like
steel, concrete, plastics or fossil energies that
compete with wood and bamboo.
Creating appropriate revenue streams
for forest ecosystem services like carbon
sequestration can also encourage forest
landholders and managers to protect and
restore forests. Open and decentralized
systems of management including industrial
transformation and energy supply can help
promote efficiency and transparency and
offer a diversified range of opportunities for
local entrepreneurs.
“The global forest products industry is at
the forefront of forest conservation efforts.
Through sustainable forest management
practices, our industry not only produces
a sustained annual yield of timber, but
also ensures its abundance for future
generations. The global forest products
industry also contributes to livelihoods and
human well-being by employing millions of
people around the world and by producing
products that provide shelter and increase
literacy. The emerging bio-economy can
only increase the important role of this
industry,” concludes Donna Harman,
President of ICFPA.
Putting forests at the heart of a new, green economy will require policies and programmes that give entrepreneurs incentives to pursue the sustainable utilization of forest resources
America’s favourite timber.
For more information on your choice of sustainable AmericanSoftwoods, including certified Southern Yellow Pine, WesternRed Cedar, Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Eastern White Pine, visitwww.americansoftwoods.com
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America’s favourite timber.
For more information on your choice of sustainable AmericanSoftwoods, including certified Southern Yellow Pine, WesternRed Cedar, Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Eastern White Pine, visitwww.americansoftwoods.com
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America’s favourite timber.
For more information on your choice of sustainable AmericanSoftwoods, including certified Southern Yellow Pine, WesternRed Cedar, Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Eastern White Pine, visitwww.americansoftwoods.com
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22 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
timber certification
Timber Design & Technology looks at the some of the leading certification programs that have gained widespread acceptance over the years
ANALYSIS
The origins of timber
certification can be traced
back to the late 1980s when
the perceived need for sustainable
forest management was first felt. In
fact, 1990 saw the start of timber
certification, when a group of
stakeholders in California identified
the need for a credible system for
identifying acceptable sources of
forest products. Today, the interest
in sustainable forest management
stems from broad-felt concern over
depletion of the forest resource
combined with a growing need
for global resource management.
However, sustainable forest
management is a practice that has
been in use for several centuries.
The term has been redefined many
times, and accordingly so has
the emphasis on what should be
managed in a sustainable manner. As
such, production, stock, production
factors, economic output and many
others items have at one time or
another been perceived as the key
factor to define sustainability of
forest management.
In recent years, there has been a
shift in some international tropical
timber markets, as a result of
the threat of bans and boycotts
against tropical timber, to calls
for certification and labeling.
Notwithstanding, the reality is that
certification of the forest resource
and of its products has become an
increasingly political issue. This is
evident from the intense international
pressure on tropical timber
producing countries to improve
standards of forest management
and from increasing concern about a
dwindling tropical forest reserve. In
response, tropical timber producing
countries have successfully argued
that worldwide timber certification
should be preferred over tropical
timber certification. Accordingly,
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ANALYSIS
the viability of certification as a
means to improved quality of forest
management in non-tropical regions
as well.
In principle, certification is an
important tool for tackling illegal
logging, as most timber certification
schemes are based on sustainability
criteria, and legality is taken to
be inherent within sustainability.
Therefore, certified timber is an easy
way for consumers to demand or
identify products made from legal
timber. However, there are several
problems and constraints related
to timber certification. These arise
mainly due to the lack of generally
accepted international principles and
criteria to assess forest management
sustainability; the lack of a widely
accepted accreditation process for
certifiers; and the emergence of many
parallel systems. Nonetheless, as the
concept of certification began to take
momentum, a host of certification
programs have been developed.
Whilst some of these programs are
focused on global forestry, there has
been an emergence of national and
regional certification programs as
well. Timber Design & Technology
looks at the some of the leading
certification programs that have
gained widespread acceptance over
the years.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)The Forest Stewardship Council
(FSC) is an independent non-profit
organization formed as an effort
to establish a global system for
certifying products that come from
well-managed forests. The mission of
FSC is to promote environmentally
appropriate, socially beneficial, and
economically viable management of
the world’s forests. The history of FSC
goes back to 1990 and since then,
FSC has become the largest voluntary
program for independent third-party
forest certification in the world.
Today, FSC is a two-pronged process
that includes a forestry performance
audit and a chain of custody audit.
FSC does not itself certify forests but
it accredits qualified independent
organizations known as certification
bodies to carry out on-the-ground
inspection and certification.
FSC certification standards are
based on ten main principles. The
FSC scheme has also developed a
process to monitor certified timber
from forests to the consumer. The
chain of custody procedure monitors
the wood products through every
stage of their transport, conversion
and further processing. Timber that
comes from sources that meet the FSC
standards are eligible to carry the FSC
logo, which denotes that the product
comes from well-managed forests.
To date, some 41 million hectares of
forest worldwide are certified to FSC’s
forest management standards and
the FSC ‘tick-tree’ logo is comfortably
the most widely recognized brand.
FSC also enjoys the full support of
the environmental NGOs, in particular
Greenpeace and WWF.
In principle, certification is an important tool for tackling illegal logging, as most timber certification schemes are based on sustainability criteria, and legality is taken to be inherent within sustainability
24 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
ANALYSIS
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)PEFC was founded on June 30, 1999
in Paris with the aim of promoting
sustainably managed forests through
independent third-party certification.
PEFC is an umbrella organization, which
facilitates mutual recognition among
the numerous national certification
standards developed in a multi-
stakeholder process. Although initially
developed to address the European
situation, PEFC today has worldwide
appeal. The unique feature of PEFC’s
scheme is that it encourages a bottom-
up approach to the multi-stakeholder
development of certification standards
and respects the use of regional political
processes for promoting sustainable
forest management as a basis for
certification standards.
In the last two years, PEFC has
emerged and has grown with such
rapidity that it now manages a greater
area of certified forest than FSC. To
date, 13 European countries have
had their national forest certification
systems endorsed by PEFC, amounting
to a combined certified forest area
of 51.6 million hectares. Further, its
35 worldwide independent national
forest certification systems represent
more than 210 million hectares of
certified forests, making it the largest
forest certification system in the world,
covering about two-thirds of the globally
certified forest area.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)The International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) is an international
non-profit organization, which
establishes global standards for various
products, production processes and
services to ensure that they meet an
acceptable level of quality. Of all the
standards in the ISO 14000 series,
the ISO 14001 for Environmental
Management Systems (EMS) is the
only standard against which it is
currently possible to be certified by
an external third-party certification
authority. The certification process
includes identification of environmental
aspects of the operation, which pose
high risk to the environment, setting
objectives and targets to reduce the
environmental impacts, identification
of changes required to meet the goals
and objectives, implementation of new
practices and continuous evaluation of
their effectiveness.
The ISO standard is a more process-
based certification system and is applied
at the level of entire enterprises. It also
does not include specific, on-the-ground
standards for forest management,
but focuses more on improved
environmental planning. The ISO 14001
system gained wide acceptance around
the world largely due to the recognition
of ISO. Today, many companies prefer
their forests to be certified under dual
certification programs, often one being
the ISO standard.
Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)The SFI program was launched in
1994 as one of the U.S. forest sector’s
contributions to the vision of sustainable
development established by the
1992 United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development. Its
original principles and implementation
guidelines began in 1995, and it evolved
as the first SFI national standard backed
by third-party audits in 1998. Today,
SFI Inc. is an independent, non-profit
organization responsible for maintaining,
overseeing and improving a sustainable
forestry certification program that is
internationally recognized and is the
largest single forest standard in the world.
The SFI Standard is based on
principles and measures that promote
sustainable forest management and
consider all forest values. It is a
comprehensive system of principles,
objectives and performance measures
developed to integrate both responsible
environmental practices and sound
business practices. The SFI verification
includes both first and second party
verification as well as independent
third-party certification of conformance
to the SFI standards. Today, more than
79 million hectares of forestland in
North America are certified to the SFI
forest management standard, making it
among the world’s largest sustainable
forestry programs.
Today, many companies prefer their forests to be certified under dual certification programs, often one being the ISO standard
Canadian Standards Association (CSA)The Canadian Standards Association
Sustainable Forest Management
standard is the leading forest
certification standard in use in Canada.
First released in 1996, it is Canada’s
official National Standard for Sustainable
Forest Management and managed
forests certified to this standard stretch
from coast to coast. The Canadian
Standards Association (CSA), the official
standards setting body for Canada,
established a set of Sustainable Forest
Management (SFM) standards adapted
from the six Canadian SFM criteria
originally established by the Canadian
Council of Forest Ministers. The six
criteria outline the environmental, social
and economic values to be managed
for all forests. These standards are
consistent with ISO 14001, and also
require public participation and audits
that verify performance. The first
certification under this system was
completed in June 1999 and so far,
approximately 67.3 million hectares
have been certified under this standard.
American Tree Farm System (ATFS)The American Tree Farm System (ATFS)
includes 27 million acres of certified
forestland managed by America’s family
forest owners who are meeting the
highest standards of sustainability and
managing their lands for water, wildlife,
wood, and recreation. ATFS, the largest
and oldest sustainable family woodland
system in America, is also internationally
recognized, meeting strict third-party
certification standards. For more than
70 years, ATFS has enhanced the quality
of America’s woodlands by giving forest
owners the tools they need to keep their
forests healthy and productive. Offering
certification to landowners who are
committed to good forest management,
ATFS certifies forest management to
eight standards of sustainability.
A program of the American Forest
Foundation, ATFS has been endorsed by
PEFC since 2008. The ATFS certification
process incorporates established
standards and guidelines and offers
three certification options, which
must conform to the Standards of
Sustainability for Forest Certification.
These standards recognize new
conservation forestry practices and
evolving consumer demand for
sustainably harvested forest products.
Once ATFS verifies that the standards
are met and the Tree Farm is certified,
landowners can proudly display the
ATFS green and white sign - the national
symbol for good forestry.
Australian Forest Certification Scheme (AFCS)The essential elements of the Australian
Forest Certification Scheme (AFCS),
which commenced with the drafting of
the Australian Forestry Standard (AFS)
in 2000, were fully developed during
2002 and 2003 to provide an ‘Australian
forest certification scheme’ based on
Australia’s conformity assessment
framework. The AFS is a nationally
endorsed Australian Standard that has
been developed within the recognized
international frameworks of the
Montreal Process Criteria and Indicators
(1995) and the ISO 14000 series of
international, voluntary environmental
management standards, but which takes
account of local operating conditions.
As such, the objective of the Australian
Forestry Standard is to provide forest
managers and owners with economic,
social, environmental and cultural
criteria and requirements that support
the sustainable management of forests
for wood production.
As the leading authoritative voice for
forest and wood products certification in
Australia, the AFCS scheme has an open
and transparent process for stakeholder
consultation and involvement in the
More than 79 million hectares of forestland in North America are certified to the SFI forest management standard, making it among the world’s largest sustainable forestry programs
ANALYSIS
25September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
• WHITE WOOD• HARD WOOD• PLAIN MDF• MELAMINE MDF• VENEER• VENEER PLYWOOD• COMMERCIAL PLYWOOD• FILM FACED PLYWOOD• SOFT BOARD• CHIP BOARD• FIRE RATED CHIP BOARD• DOOR CORE
By buying products with the FSC label, you are supporting the growth of responsible forest management worldwide
like Sanitary products, Gypsum products, Cement Fiber boards etc...
• WHITE WOOD• HARD WOOD• PLAIN MDF• MELAMINE MDF• VENEER• VENEER PLYWOOD• COMMERCIAL PLYWOOD• FILM FACED PLYWOOD• SOFT BOARD• CHIP BOARD• FIRE RATED CHIP BOARD• DOOR CORE
By buying products with the FSC label, you are supporting the growth of responsible forest management worldwide
like Sanitary products, Gypsum products, Cement Fiber boards etc...
27September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
review and ongoing improvement
of the standards to ensure business
relevance and capability, environmental
responsibility and social awareness.
Moreover, the AFCS National Standards
are world-class forestry standards that
have been endorsed by PEFC as well. To
date, the AFCS has been used to certify
over 8.7 million hectares (77 percent)
of native forests and plantations
across Australia and the AFCS target
is to certify the remaining 2.5 million
hectares by this year.
Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS)The Malaysian Timber Certification
Scheme (MTCS) began operation
in October 2001 using a phased
approach due to the greater challenges
encountered in managing the complex
tropical forests in Malaysia. Managed
by the Malaysian Timber Certification
Council (MTCC), an independent non-
profit organization, the MTCS is a
voluntary national timber certification
scheme that provides assurance to
buyers of Malaysian timber products
that the products have been sourced
from sustainably managed forests. The
standard initially used for assessing
Forest Management Units (FMUs) for
the purpose of certification was the
Malaysian Criteria, Indicators, Activities
and Standards of Performance for
Forest Management Certification, (MC&I
2001) which is based on the 1998 ITTO
Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable
Management of Natural Tropical
Forests. During the second phase
of the implementation of the MTCS,
which began in late 2005, the MTCC
has been using the Malaysian Criteria
and Indicators for Forest Management
Certification (MC&I 2002), which
contains nine principles, 47 criteria and
96 indicators.
The MTCS is the first tropical timber
certification scheme in the Asia Pacific
region, and the second in the world
after the Gabonese Forest Certification
Scheme, to be endorsed by the PEFC.
To date, a total of nine Certificates
for Forest Management have been
issued to Forest Management Units
(FMUs) covering 4.65 million hectares
or 32 percent of the total permanent
reserved forests (PRFs) in Malaysia.
Eight of the certified FMUs (Pahang,
Selangor, Terengganu, Kedah, Perak,
Negeri Sembilan, Kelantan and Johor)
are in Peninsular Malaysia, while the
Segaliud Lokan Forest Reserve is located
in Sabah. All certified FMUs under the
MTCS are now considered as PEFC-
certified and the MTCS-certified logs
originating from these FMUs and their
downstream products are now eligible to
carry the PEFC Logo.
There are more than 150 Malaysian
timber companies (manufacturers and
exporters) that hold the PEFC Chain
of Custody under the MTCS, dealing
with a wide variety of tropical timber
products, including sawn timber,
plywood, veneer, mouldings, laminated
timber and garden furniture.
Indonesian Eco-labelling Institute (LEI - Lembaga Ekolabel Indonesia)The Indonesian Eco-labelling Institute
(LEI - Lembaga Ekolabel Indonesia)
is a non-profit constituent based
organization that develops forest
certification systems as part of its
mission to promote sustainable forest
resource management in Indonesia.
Established in 1994, LEI is a constituent
based organization and as such
has retained its independence and
transparency, which are both necessary
for the credibility of forest certification.
LEI introduced its certification program
to implement Sustainable Forest
Management (SFM) in 1998. The system
and its criteria and indicators are based
on the ITTO, FSC and ISO principles,
criteria and guidelines.
Mutually recognized by FSC, LEI’s
certification includes schemes for:
Natural forest certification; Plantation
forest certification; Community forest
The AFCS National Standards are world-class forestry standards that have been endorsed by PEFC
ANALYSIS
28 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
certification; and Chain of Custody (COC),
a log tracking system for industries
that process forest products such as
furniture, ply wood, sawn wood and
pulp and paper. The LEI certification
schemes have been designed specifically
considering the Indonesian context
with a focus on community forestry,
a commitment to involving traditional
communities, and a multi stake-
holder approach that is supported by
NGOs, indigenous communities, forest
companies and the government.
Brazilian National Forest Certification Program (Cerflor)Forest certification began in Brazil in the
mid-90s as a reaction to environmental
concerns and pressure from international
consumer groups. Initially considered to
be a response to deforestation and illegal
timber extraction, it soon extended to
all forest activities, including industrial
plantations. Despite the parallel FSC
process underway, Brazilian forest
industry associations such as the
Brazilian Silvicultural Society (SBS) were
keen on the creation of an autonomous
national forest certification scheme.
The system, entitled the Brazilian
National Forest Certification Program
(Cerflor), is managed by the National
Institute of Metrology, Standardization
and Industrial Quality (INMETRO), a
government agency connected to the
Ministry of Development, Industry
and Foreign Trade. Today, INMETRO
accredits certification bodies associated
with Cerflor whilst the Brazilian
Association of Technical Standards
(ABNT) is charged with the process of
development and revision of Cerflor
standards for forest management and
chain-of-custody practices.
Cerflor was officially launched in 2002
and started to operate in March 2003.
Endorsed by PEFC, Cerflor is based on
five principles - accompanied by criteria
and indicators - that vary according to
local conditions. Significant emphasis is
placed on management plans, monitoring
exercises and development plans for the
local communities, however no minimum
and clear social and environmental
requirements exist with regards to
performance. Cerflor follows norms
similar in name to those established by
FSC in Brazil, but are considered more
process-oriented than FSC. Despite the
presence of the FSC standards, Cerflor
proponents consider it desirable to
offer an optional parallel standard
to companies. Nonetheless, both FSC
and Cerflor certification requirements
take as a starting point the forest
management criteria defined in
Brazilian regulatory law.
Pan African Forest Certification (PAFC)The African Timber Organization
governments decided to support a Pan
African Forest Certification system
(PAFC) based on the Principles, Criteria
and Indicators (PCI) established by
the Center for International Forestry
Research (CIFOR) in early 2004.
These PCIs have been validated by
the International Tropical Timber
Organization (ITTO) and have been
tested in the Ivory Coast, Ghana,
Cameroon, Central African Republic
and Gabon and serve as a base for
sustainable African tropical forest
management. To date, Gabon is the
first country to develop a national
PAFC system and this system aims at
becoming the basis for an all-African
standard. PAFC Gabon has established
standards and procedures that are
compliant with the requirements of PEFC
thereby enabling Gabon to became the
first African member of the international
PEFC Council. PAFC currently is open
to other African nations, wanting to
develop their national standards within
the system.
International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO)The International Tropical Timber
Organization (ITTO) is an inter-
governmental organization that
promotes the conservation and
sustainable management, and use
and trade of tropical forest resources,
which includes 59 member countries.
Established under the auspices of
the United Nations in 1986, ITTO
develops internationally agreed policy
documents to promote sustainable
forest management and forest
conservation and assists tropical
member countries to adapt such policies
While certification is an important tool, it is certainly not a measure of sustainability
ANALYSIS
to local circumstances and to implement
them in the field through projects. In
addition, ITTO collects, analyzes and
disseminates data on the production
and trade of tropical timber and funds
a range of projects and other action
aimed at developing industries at both
community and industrial scales.
ITTO has developed guidelines,
criteria and indicators of sustainable
forest management for tropical
countries, which are being further
elaborated in some producing member
countries. These international and
national criteria and indicators are
not being developed specifically for
certification purposes but they can serve
as a useful framework in this regard. It
is noteworthy that the various processes
are not necessarily developing criteria
and indicators at the same level; some
are working at the national or regional
level, while others are concentrating on
the management unit level.
Beyond CertificationTimber certification is certainly a
positive step towards sustainable
management of the world’s forests.
However, there is one major issue
in certification that is of paramount
importance - gaining credibility for the
certification procedure. The truth is that
there is no easy path towards attaining
credibility, as we are confronted with
the apparent complexity that credibility
actually means different things to
different people, and to the same people
in different settings.
While certification is an important
tool, it is certainly not a measure of
sustainability. It is interesting to note
that FSC adopts the ISO position on the
usage of the term ‘sustainability’, which
is that it cannot truly be determined
and, instead, requires certificate holders
to describe FSC certified products as
sourced from ‘responsibly managed
forests’ and not ‘sustainable’ forests. It
is also important to understand that,
while certification schemes can provide
reassurance to the buyer that the timber
they are buying is from responsibly
managed forests, there are other ways
to determine this. This is particularly
relevant for timber sourced from North
America and Europe, where there is a
long history of good forest governance
and a proven track record of responsible
forest management. In fact, in these
cases, one might ask what the relevance
of timber certification is.
At present, the certification picture is
somewhat muddled on account of the
development of many competing and
even conflicting systems as discussed
above. There is a very real risk that
timber suppliers may be required to
obtain more than one certificate for
the same product in order to satisfy
different groups of customers, on
account of their preference for a
particular scheme, or sometimes to
even comply with mandatory schemes,
which are a prerequisite towards doing
business in a given country. That being
said, any viable timber certification
scheme will have to be seen to be
credible, objective with transparent
and measurable criteria, reliable and
independent and, most importantly,
covering all types of timber. The issue
still remains very sensitive in nature
and no doubt influenced by politics.
Nonetheless, it will remain an actively
debated topic with no foreseeable
solution in the near future.
ANALYSIS
Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC)is an independent organisation which operates the MTCS
Sustainable FutureSustainable Forest,
C-08-05, Block C, Megan Avenue II, No. 12, Jalan Yap Kwan Seng, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaTel: 603-2161 2298 Fax: 603-2161 2293 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.mtcc.com.my
TM
PEFC/34-01-01
Malaysian Timber Certification Scheme (MTCS) - your source of PEFC-certified Malaysian timber products
Multi-stakeholder CONSULTATIONS
Independent AUDITORS
C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
MTCC AD 2012_Output2.pdf 2/2/12 11:51:37 AM
30 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
FARLIN GROUP OF COMPANIES ARE VERTICALLY INTEGRATED WITH AN ESTABLISHED PRESENCE WORLDWIDE IN TIMBER LOGS, SAWN TIMBER, PLYWOOD, PANEL PRODUCTS AND COAL FOR ENERGY SECTORS.
Tel: 04 8809 889 | Fax: 04 8809 779 | www.far l indubai.com
farlin_ad_A4.indd 1 25/03/2012 12:01
31September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
Cambia: wood made better
Resource efficient technology improves
performance and appearance of wood
Cambia by NFP® is a venture formed
by Northland Forest Products
to manufacture and market
thermally modified (TM) lumber as an
environmentally responsible choice to
tropical hardwoods or petrochemical-
based wood alternatives. The thermal
modification treatment, which uses high
heat in a controlled atmosphere to remove
naturally occurring organic compounds in
wood that provide a food source for insects
or fungi, can be applied to just about any
wood, and so exact characteristics will
tend to vary by species. Nonetheless,
thermal modification is a clean and efficient
technology that modifies the cellular
structure of the wood, limiting the amount
of water that can be absorbed by the wood
cells, which significantly increases the
dimensional stability of wood.
Founded in 1970, Northland Forest
Products is a family-owned, wholesale
processor and distributor of quality hardwood
lumber, and an industry leader in advocating
the use of sustainably-managed forest
products. In 1996, Northland Forest Products
became the 22nd company in North America
to be chain-of-custody certified by the Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC). Today, Northland
Forest Products is one of the leading suppliers
of wood from FSC-certified forests. The
company operates two lumber concentration
and distribution yards located in Kingston, NH
and Troy, VA, and a retail outlet warehouse
in Manassas, VA. The Cambia production
facilities are located in Kingston, NH.
Wood Made Better: Thermal ModificationNorthland Forest Products operates one
of the first ovens in the United States to
produce thermally modified lumber. The
thermal modification process, a clean and
energy efficient technology, uses high heat
in a controlled atmosphere to improve
both the dimensional stability and the
decay resistance of wood by permanently
altering its chemical and physical
CAMBIA
Image © Leo A. Daly Architects
32 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
CAMBIA
mAin usEs
Exterior Trim, Siding, and DeckingWindow frames, Sashes, SillsInterior FlooringInterior/Exterior Doors and CabinetryOutdoor FurnitureDocks and FloatsHot tub and Spa surroundsBench SlatsPlaygrounds
properties. By processing wood produced
from America’s well-managed hardwood
forests, Cambia provides an affordable,
domestically-sourced, environmentally-
friendly alternative to imported hardwoods
that often are illegally harvested from
endangered tropical rainforests.
The thermal modification process
limits the ability of wood to absorb
moisture, so Cambia products are more
dimensionally stable and less prone to cup,
warp and twist with changes in relative
humidity. This increase in dimensional
stability significantly extends the
service life of applied finishes, thereby
reducing maintenance costs. The thermal
modification process also removes those
nutrients in wood that would otherwise
provide a food source for insects and
wood-destroying fungi. As a result, Cambia
products do not contain any toxic chemicals
to improve longevity and performance.
The thermal modification process also
sequesters carbon within the wood, giving
Cambia products a rich brown color and
appearance; and the uniform coloration
of Cambia products rival that of many
imported tropical hardwood species.
Thermally modified wood was introduced
in Europe in the early 1990’s and has since
become widely accepted and utilized for
both interior and exterior applications.
Cambia accepts stains and finishes that
have been formulated for non-modified
hardwoods as the thermal modification
minimizes the difference in early and
late wood densities, actually allowing
paints and stains to last longer. Thermally
modified wood is also extremely durable;
the wood is rot and insect resistant, and
as there are no toxic chemicals involved,
special handling precautions and scrap
waste disposal are not issues. Testing by
an independent testing lab placed Cambia™
Yellow Poplar in the highest durability
rating class achievable for rot and decay
resistance. Currently available in a selection
of domestic hardwoods and prefabricated
components, Cambia hardwoods are most
commonly used for siding, decking, lumber
and site furniture.
The Green ChoiceCambia wood may be the first truly green
lumber resource that performs better and
costs less than alternative wood species and
substitute products developed to replace
wood. A significant percentage (up to 80
percent) of the energy required to thermally
transform wood using the Cambia process
comes from the wood itself, making the
process not only energy-efficient, but also
environmentally friendly as no chemicals
are used to preserve the wood and no
pollutants are emitted to the environment,
thereby enabling it to have a low carbon
footprint.
Cambia adds value and utility to wood
harvested from sustainably managed temperate
forests, thereby promoting responsible and
sustainable forestry practices. The enhanced
performance of Cambia thermally modified
wood makes it an environmentally responsible
alternative to wood produced from tropical
rainforests. Further, Cambia wood scrap is
easily disposed of as it can be burned or
landfilled without adverse environmental
impact. As a testament to its environmental
credentials, Cambia products are available with
a FSC certification and can qualify for 100
percent valuation under the LEED ‘certified
wood credit’ (MRc7). Cambia is currently
available in red oak, poplar, white ash and soft
maple lumber.
Working with CambiaDespite the thermal modification, Cambia
By processing wood produced from America’s well-managed hardwood forests, Cambia provides an affordable, domestically-sourced, environmentally-friendly alternative to imported hardwoods that often are illegally harvested from endangered tropical rainforests
•••••••••
33September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
CAMBIA
pRopERtiEs
Color: The color of thermally modified wood is determined by treatment time and temperature. Color may vary from light brown to a deep roasted brown.
Dimensional Stability: Thermally modified wood significantly reduces the ability of the modified wood to absorb water. This limits the amount of swelling or shrinking associated with non-thermally modified kiln-dried wood.
Density: Thermally modified wood has a slightly lower density than non-thermally modified kiln-dried wood. This is mainly due to the removal of sugars and other non-essential organic compounds during the treatment process.
Permeability: Thermally modified wood is 20-30 percent lower in permeability than that of normal kiln-dried samples.
Thermal Conductivity: Thermally modified wood has a thermal conductivity that is 20-25 percent lower compared to untreated wood.
Resistance to insect attack: Thermally modified wood has no food source for wood-destroying insects. Insects may bore into a piece of thermally modified wood, but will not infest the piece due to the lack of a food source.
Fire Resistance: Thermal modification does not significantly alter resistance to fire.
Biological Durability: Thermally modified wood demonstrates a remarkable ability to resist decay by brown rot. Test results do indicate that thermally modified wood should not be used in ground contact applications where structural performance is required.
Weather Resistance: Thermally modified wood will change color over a period of time from the original brown to a grayish weathered color and may also develop light surface checking when exposed to direct sunlight. The original color and surface integrity may be preserved with pigmented or UV-protective non-toxic coatings.
Leachate: Thermally modified wood is not subject to chemical leaching issues.
Surface Hardness: Thermal modification does not significantly change the surface hardness of wood of the same species.
Bending Strength: Thermally modified wood has a slightly reduced modulus of rupture, though no significant reduction in modulus of elasticity when compared to kiln-dried wood of the same species.
Compression Strength: The thermal modification process has no significant effect on the compression strength values.
Splitting Strength: The thermal modification process can cause some reduction in the splitting strength.
Screw Extraction: The thermal modification process has no significant effect on screw extraction resistance.
•
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wood is still wood. The mechanical and
chemical properties unique to each species
modified remain roughly the same as before
the thermal modification process. As such,
Cambia wood can still be worked with all
standard woodworking tools, though the
use of carbides will definitely extend the
life of cutting edges. Sawdust produced
from sawing and planing operations is
generally finer than that of non-modified
wood, possibly requiring better quality dust
masks and more frequent cleaning of dust
collection systems. In addition, material
safety data information for kiln-dried
wood remains unchanged by the thermal
modification process.
Cambia adds value and utility to wood harvested from sustainably managed temperate forests, thereby promoting responsible and sustainable forestry practices
Imag
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Leo
A. D
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Arch
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Imag
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34 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
DESIGN & DéCOR
Sensory art installation in Turkey uses Accoya® wood
oVo lights up downtown Istanbul
35September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
DESIGN & DéCOR
A sensational new art installation
is lighting up downtown Istanbul,
Turkey. OVO (Latin for egg) is
an interactive artwork, which offers
visitors a multi-sensory experience with
lighting animations, visuals and acoustic
accompaniment. The egg shaped concept
was unveiled earlier this year at Marmara
Forum, a shopping centre and garden
office. The egg is made from Accoya® wood
manufactured by Accsys Technologies and
was supplied by Van Steenberge in Belgium.
Accoya was used for the complete structure
of the egg due to its superior sustainability
and performance credentials.
A unique shapeCreated by artist and sculpture team
Odeaubois and ACT Lighting Design for
the lighting concept and set design, OVO
is a standout attraction. Its unusual shape
is achieved with a combination of 24
crossed spiral pairs, which is based on the
double helix model - something present
everywhere in our universe, from DNA to
the solar system! Visitors can make up their
own interpretation of the creation, be it an
egg, pineapple, or pine cone.
OVO’s structure is made of Accoya
wood that has been cut into 356 different
pieces bolted together to make an eye-
catching structure with almost invisible
seams. Accoya’s exceptional properties
of durability, stability, strength and
beauty made it ideal for use as the main
construction material for this highly original
design. Guaranteed against rot and decay for
50 years in exterior use and 25 years when
used in the ground, Accoya is perfect for
outdoor use and has an extended coatings
maintenance cycle due to its dimensional
stability and UV resistance. Prevention
of possible distortion due to dimensional
stability and retained strength, despite
going through the transformative wood
modification process, were also important
selection criteria.
“Accoya shows outstanding performance
and sustainability benefits, it perfectly fits
this new creation,” said Jean Pierre Noel,
Commercial Director at Van Steenberge.
“OVO is a fantastic concept and we are
proud to be part of it. It is also our
first project in Turkey and hopefully
this showcases how Accoya can create
outstanding and inspirational projects.”
Captivating SensorsThe choice of the shape of OVO is symbolic.
The egg evokes birth, unity, perfection,
cocoon and transformation. Inside the
structure, the visitor is offered a complete
experience for the senses, bringing them
in contact with the four elements: air, via
Imag
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Luc
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tero
36 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
the two gateways; fire, with the changing
colors of the LED lighting system; water in
the basin of the structure; and finally earth,
with Accoya wood.
Experience SustainabilityThe project was built with strict
sustainability criteria. Everything in the
creation has been thought through to answer
environmental needs. Accoya is created
using a proprietary patented non-toxic
modification process on sustainably sourced
woods and exceeds or matches the durability,
stability and beauty of the very best tropical
hardwoods without their endangerment.
As such, it has received many prestigious
environmental awards and certifications.
The LED lighting system uses only about
700W of continuous power. The system is
IP67 rated and no replacement of bulbs
is necessary. The water system is also
very economical. Finally, minimal waste
was produced in the construction and
installation, using only natural materials
such as wood, rubber and metal that were
all reusable and recyclable.
“With a passion for ecology and a real
love for wood, Accoya ticked all the boxes
for OVO. We needed a simple, natural and
durable material for our creation and it
suited our design well,” said Mostafa Hadi
and Pol Marchandise, both Sculptors and
Artists at Odeaubois.
Its unusual shape is achieved with a combination of 24 crossed spiral pairs, which is based on the double helix model - something present everywhere in our universe, from DNA to the solar system! Visitors can make up their own interpretation of the creation, be it an egg, pineapple, or pine cone
DESIGN & DéCOR
pRoJECt CREdits
Odeaubois: Pol Marchandise and Mostafa Hadi for the wooden sculpture
ACT lighting design: Koert Vermeulen for the lighting concept and Marcos Viñals Bassols for the scenography
AVAILABLE FROM:
Beirut PortTel : +961 3 503 [email protected]
AN INNOVATIONIN WOOD
www.accoya.com
WOOD WITHOUT COMPROMISEAccoya® is ideal for decking, cladding and external joinery. Created from sustainably sourced wood and completelynon-toxic, Accoya® is a revolution in wood technology.
- Class 1 durability- Warranted for 50 years above ground- Warranted for 25 years below ground- Exceptional dimensional stability- Outstanding coating performance for low maintenance- Consistent quality throughout
modified wood by Accsys Technologies
ACCOYA® and the Trimarque Device are registered trademarks owned by Titan Wood Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Accsys Technologies PLC, and may not be used or reproduced without written permission. www.distinctwood.com/accoya
The Haven, Norfolk
38 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
PVs International outlines aggressive expansion plan for MENA regionLeading player confident of 50 percent growth in turnover for 2012
PROFILE
Image © PVS International
39September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
Vijay Nihalani, Managing Director, PVS InternationalP
VS International is a global
leader in the supply chain
management of wood products.
The company established its first
office in Singapore in 1992 for
the purpose of sourcing Malaysian
hardwoods for use in construction
in the Middle East. Since then it
has grown to become a worldwide
supplier of logs, sawn timber and
finished wood products. In the MENA
region, the company’s operations
are handled exclusively by United
Agencies, which has been present
in Dubai since 1963. In an exclusive
interview with Timber Design &
Technology, Vijay Nihalani, Managing
Director, PVS International outlines
the company’s long-term plans.
Could you give us a brief overview
of your company and its operations
in the region?
Our supply chain begins at the source
- where the forests are located. We
have procurement offices in China,
PROFILE
Malaysia, Brazil and Romania that
have built long-term relationships
with forest owners and factories.
Additionally, our procurement teams
are always on the lookout for new
products that can be introduced
into our markets. By placing quality
control teams at each of these
locations, we ensure that the products
always match the standards that we
have set since each market has its
own unique quality requirement. Our
hub in Dubai handles all the shipping
and logistics, as well as the sales and
marketing throughout the region for
all our products. We have also set
up a sales team in India since the
market is large enough to warrant its
own offices.
What do you think has been the main
reason for your success in the region?
Due to better communication, ease of
travel and innovative technology, the
world is becoming a smaller place
and unless an organization is adding
significant value, it becomes obsolete
very quickly. We believe that our
efficient supply chain coupled
with our comprehensive customer
service gives us an edge and keeps
us competitive. All along the supply
chain we are mindful of adding value
- for our suppliers by exporting their
products worldwide and for our
customers by providing an entire
range of wood products.
How important is the Middle East
market for PVS International? What
growth do you expect in the region
in 2012 and beyond?
In 2011, the Middle East market
contributed a significant amount to
We believe that our efficient supply chain coupled with our comprehensive customer service gives us an edge and keeps us competitive
Imag
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PVS
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PVS
Inte
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our global revenues and so is a very
important market for us. We have
implemented an aggressive growth
strategy this year and are targeting
an increase of 50 percent in overall
sales for 2012. Markets such as Saudi
Arabia and Qatar, where significant
investments into infrastructure are
being made, will continue to drive
our growth in the region. Outside
the Middle East, we have already
begun sales into several African
countries as well as into the Indian
Subcontinent; two regions where we
expect considerable growth in the
near future.
With regards to the timber industry
in the region, which species are
primarily in demand and why?
In this region, there needs to be a
fine balance between price, quality
and steady supply. As a result,
softwoods from Chile and Romania
have proved to be most popular over
PROFILE
Markets such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, where significant investments into infrastructure are being made, will continue to drive our growth in the region
the years. These species are used in
the construction industry as well as
for pallet manufacture. For joinery
and carpentry purposes, Malaysian
Red Meranti, European Beech
and various African hardwoods
have been the species of choice
for many years. Apart from the
reasons mentioned above, these
species are also relatively easy
to use and are very durable. They
are used to manufacture door and
window frames, as well as to make
furniture. The panel industry has
been dominated by China, Indonesia
and Malaysia. What sets us apart
from many of our competitors is
the fact that we supply the entire
range of wood products - softwoods,
hardwoods and panels.
What are some of the challenges
facing the regional timber industry?
The region does not have any forests
and therefore has to import all of its
wood. As a result, the trade is subject
to various factors such as fluctuating
shipping costs, unsafe sea routes,
political uncertainties in the source
countries, logging bans and in some
cases, sudden surges in demand.
Additionally, the understanding of
sustainable forestry practices aimed
at managing the world’s forests is
still relatively low in the region. It
is important that all the entities
in the supply chain work together
to ensure that the use of these
valuable resources is regulated in
order to protect our environment
and ensure a steady supply.
With due diligence and a deeper
understanding of the issue, we can
ensure that the Middle East does
not become a dumping ground for
timber from non-certified forests.
What trends do you anticipate in the
coming year?
We believe that the demand for
timber from certified forests is set to
increase across the region in the next
few years. With the development of
‘green building codes’ in the Middle
East, contractors and builders will be
forced to ensure responsible sourcing
when it comes to wood products.
Since the 2008 crisis, we see that
the demand for wood products
has grown steadily and in a more
sustainable fashion. We anticipate
that this trend will continue in the
near future.
40 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
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42 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
TECHNOLOGY
Improved productivity through software
Martina Schwartz, MD, CAD+T talks about the role of software in the
timber industry
The global recession of the late
2000s certainly left its mark across
all sectors in the Middle East.
Particularly hit was the real estate market
in the UAE, which consequently affected
the contracting, interior design and related
industries. However, 2012 remains poised to
break this trend. According to new research
by Ventures ME, the overall interior
contracting and fit-out market in the GCC
will increase by 87 percent in value this
year, the highest increase since 2008, from
USD 5.04 billion in 2011 to USD 9.4 billion.
Of note is the fact that the UAE remains the
GCC’s largest interiors market, with forecast
spend in interior contracting and fit-out
across residential, commercial, hospitality
and retail segments totaling USD 3.73 billion
for 2012, up 62 percent on 2011 figures.
Judging by the aforementioned figures,
one could then conclude that the upside to
the recession has been the tough lessons
learnt by all firms across all industries.
Typically, the interior design and joinery
business has always been a tough business,
and in the last two years, competition in
the region has increased significantly. The
increased competition has meant companies
have to be more productive to win tenders.
However, given that material prices and
labor costs are more or less maxed out, the
industry has to look towards improving
their workflows and this is only possible
with software and better organization.
Timber Design & Technology speaks to
Martina Schwarz, Managing Director, CAD+T
Middle East, to get an understanding of the
role that software can play today.
“At present, most players within the
industry have already started to implement
a variety of software solutions in order
to speed up their processes in certain
departments. For instance, AutoCAD 2D
has become a standard for the design
and technical shop floor drawings within
the industry. However, all of the other
necessary information during the whole
production process is still usually created
manually, which is very time consuming and
prone to human error,” says Schwarz.
43September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
TECHNOLOGY
Given that material prices and labor costs are more or less maxed out, the industry has to look towards improving their workflows and this is only possible with software and better organization
44 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
The answer lies in the ability to render information, which has been already created, available for the next process in a digital format so that the information can be used straight away
TECHNOLOGY
The simple truth is that companies can
save a lot of time in sales, engineering and
production if they don’t have to reinvent the
wheel every time. However, complications
arise from the amount of different work
steps that need to be processed during the
execution of an order: estimation, shop floor
drawings, cutting lists, BOQs, stock handling,
material orders, time calculation and capacity
planning for the factory, quality control,
shipping organization, CNC files and so on.
“We must also not forget that it is
necessary to do a post-calculation of the
job at the end of the entire process of
executing an order. The question then
arises as to how to optimize such a complex
process. The answer lies in the ability to
render information, which has been already
created, available for the next process in a
digital format so that the information can be
used straight away,” adds Schwarz.
CAD+T Software has launched its own
software solution that can help companies
maximize their workflow processes. Schwarz
explains that even in the case of custom-
made projects, the information will only
need to be created once, and all of the
other necessary data will be created by
the software automatically - from design
through to installation.
At the heart of the system is the drawing.
Still based on AutoCAD, the add-on from
CAD+T gives draftsmen the possibility
of drawing the parts directly in 3D even
though they can still work on 2D. More
importantly, the software allows information
on the parts such as materials, finishes,
edges, profiles, hardware, etc. to be saved
directly. As such, the drawing then consists
of not only mere lines and text - it actually
understands what you are drawing.
The majority of the joineries in the
Image ©
CAD
+TIm
age © CA
D+T
Image © CAD+T
TECHNOLOGY
Still based on AutoCAD, the add-on from CAD+T gives draftsmen the possibility of drawing the parts directly in 3D even though they can still work on 2D. More importantly, the software allows information on the parts such as materials, finishes, edges, profiles, hardware, etc. to be saved directly
CAD+T Middle East JLT, PO Box 262353, Indigo Icon, Offi ce 507, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai, UAE, Mobil.: +971(0) 50-2738319, Tel.: +971(0) 4-4477880, Email: offi [email protected]
Middle East have already invested into
CNC woodworking machines in order to
speed up their work and improve their
quality. However, these machines need to
receive the right information in order to
process the job. Schwarz confidently states
that even this information can be created
automatically from their software. The
company has specifically developed a highly
sophisticated interface for CNC machines,
which not only transfers the parts to the
machine, but it also selects the right tool,
speed and coordinates depending on the
material and subject to the work that is
required of the machine.
In addition to all the technical
information required to execute a job,
every workshop or joinery will need to
maintain a track of its commercial and
operational information including material
consumption, wastage, labor hours, capacity
planning, prices for materials and labor etc.
Aiming to offer a complete solution, CAD+T
provides support for these fields as well.
By combining the custom made information
from the drawing together with a company
specific database of prices, capacities, etc.,
the system will allow the user to track and
manage this information.
“The idea is that after the finalization
of the drawing, all other information -
technical or commercial - is managed
simply with a push of a button. Software
can offer you huge time savings
(approximately 60 percent per order) in
addition to error prevention (up to 80
percent). All of this gives companies the
advantage of handling and quoting more
projects whilst also allowing them to
achieve higher profit margins at the same
time,” concludes Schwarz.
Image ©
CAD
+T
46 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
Top IndusTry ExhIbITIons comIng
up ThIs sEason
Date: 17 - 20 SeptemberVenue: Erbil International FairgroundLocation: Kurdistan,IraqexpecteD attenDees: 20,000+WeBsite: www.project-iraq.com
Date: 25 - 26 SeptemberVenue: Ricoh ArenaLocation: Coventry, UKtimings: 25 September (Tuesday), 9:00 - 17:00 and 26 September (Wednesday), 9:00 - 16:00expecteD attenDees: 4,000+WeBsite: www.timber-expo.co.uk
Project Iraq is being held in Erbil, Iraq from 17-20
September 2012. The show is the premier event of its
kind in Iraq and is the ideal venue for all those in the
construction industry. In 2011, Project Iraq hosted 393
exhibitors from 20 countries - representing a 30 percent
increase compared to the previous edition and welcomed
more than 23,000 professional visitors including
architects, engineers, contractors, construction specialists,
high-ranking officials, regional and national investment
authorities, in addition to local and regional VIPs.
The show provides a unique and dynamic platform for
buyers and suppliers to make contacts and drive future
developments within Iraq’s massive construction sector
and to penetrate local markets. Exhibitors benefit from
massive exposure to premier regional agents, dealers,
buyers and distributors. Project Iraq is being held
concurrently with Energy Iraq 2012 - the International
Exhibition for Electricity, Alternative Energy, Lighting,
Water Technology and HVAC. The show will leverage
the recovery in Iraq, which has lead to a boom in
reconstruction and development needs across all sectors
of its economy.
projEcT Iraq
TImbEr Expo
Timber Expo is the premier show in the UK for all those
involved in the timber sector. Timber Expo 2012 will
take place at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry from the 25-26
September and over 4,000 visitors are expected, including
architects, specifiers, engineers and contractors plus central
government departments and local authorities. All four
corners of the timber sector will be represented for all
attendees to promote, learn and experience why timber
is the number one commercially available low carbon
construction material.
The exhibition in 2012 will be 50 percent bigger,
showcasing the products and services of over 200
companies in 6,000 sqm of space and will provide a forum
for new business and a demonstration of how timber
can deliver an effective, more attractive and sustainable
built environment. The exhibition is complemented by a
comprehensive Timber Talk seminar programme in addition
to the Timber Buyers Forum, which offers a highly effective
way for timber buyers to meet with Timber Expo exhibitors
in a structured manner in order to maximize the networking
and business opportunities during the event.
New for 2012, the BM TRADA Group will host a series
of technical tours for buyers and members of the press,
wherein groups of approximately 20 people will be taken
around the exhibition, highlighting different technologies
and innovations. Also new is the introduction of the Timber
Expo 2012 Awards, which will be judged by independent
experts, media partners and representatives from official
industry body partners. In addition, the Student Exhibition
will showcase the designs of students of architecture at
Oxford Brookes University who have been asked to design a
demountable timber pavilion - the brief requiring that it can
be deconstructed then transported and used as a temporary
shelter for an injured marine stranded in bad weather
conditions on an island.
SHOWTIME
48 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
SHOWTIME
Date: 4 - 6 OctoberVenue: Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiatimings: 9:00 - 17:00expecteD attenDees: 2,000+ WeBsite: www.globalwoodmart.my
Date: 7 - 10 OctoberVenue: The NEC Location: Birmingham, UKtimings: 7 - 9 October (Sunday - Tuesday), 9:30 - 17:00 and 10 October (Wednesday), 9:30 - 16:00expecteD attenDees: 10,000+WeBsite: www.w12exhibition.com
W12
mTc global WoodmarT 2012
Following its highly successful debut in 2010 in Kuala
Lumpur, the MTC Global WoodMart (MGW) 2012 will
once again take centre stage at the Kuala Lumpur
Convention Centre from October 4-6, 2012 providing
a premier one-stop selling, buying and networking
platform for local and international timber suppliers
and buyers. Buoyed by the success of the debut show,
MTC has doubled the exhibition space for MGW 2012 to
2,000 sqm occupying two halls at the KLCC Convention
Centre, and has extended the show duration from two to
three days.
A new feature of MGW 2012 is the ‘Wood in Art’
section, specially introduced for craftsmen to express
their creativity in timber in various finished forms.
There will also be a ‘Best Presentation Award’ for the
most creative exhibitor’s booth. Apart from facilitating
business among local and overseas suppliers, agents,
distributors, importers, manufacturers, wholesalers and
others in the supply chain, MGW 2012 also aims to
promote and encourage the wider application and use of
timber from Malaysian and international sources.
MGW 2012 will feature a wide selection of tropical
and temperate hardwood and softwood products such
as logs, sawn timber, plywood and panel products,
wooden flooring, wooden decking, doors and windows,
mouldings and furniture components. MGW’s debut
show in 2010 attracted 108 exhibitors from more than
20 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China,
France, Germany, India, New Zealand, South Korea, the
UAE, UK and USA. In addition, over 2,000 trade buyers
from 50 countries attended the show, with sizeable
representations from Japan, the Netherlands, China,
India, Singapore, Thailand and the UAE.
W12 is the UK national exhibition of machinery,
materials and components for the joinery and furniture
manufacturing industries. Each year this major sector
buys trade supplies of around GBP 3.5 billion with 75
percent of this coming from UK based companies. Two
co-located shows - Working with Wood and Working
with Design - make up W12, which is being held at the
NEC this year for furniture and joinery manufacturers.
Working with Wood is about technology and
machinery across the woodworking industries. Working
with Design showcases the vast range of materials
and components available to assist manufacturers. The
event will also include the ‘Design in Manufacturing
Awards 2012’, which will be judged by a carefully
chosen panel of industry experts. The judges will be
looking for examples of practical design of direct value
to manufacturers. All materials and components with a
strong design element can be considered for an award
- but the over-riding feature is practical, commercial
application.
Organizers have confirmed that the significant
suppliers of technology to the UK market are booked
to exhibit at W12 as the show presents the perfect
opportunity to engage with buyers of technology,
materials and components across the joinery and
furniture manufacturing industries. The last edition of
the show in 2010 attracted 10,000 visitors from 6,500
companies over 4 days highlighting the importance of
the event.
49September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
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SHOWTIME
50 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
Date: 10 - 14 OctoberVenue: Hikmet Sahin Cultural Park International Exhibition CenterLocation: Inegol - Bursa, Turkeytimings: 10:00 - 19:30expecteD attenDees: 15,000+WeBsite: www.modef.com.tr
modEf Expo
Inegol, Bursa will play host to the 28th Modef Expo -
Furniture and Decoration Fair from 10-14 October 2012,
wherein over 150 furniture manufacturers and decorators
will display their new design products and concepts to
professionals visiting from all over the world. Through the
exhibition, visitors will be able to discover the wide range
of products and unique samples that reflect both modern
and classical design themes, and also understand why the
heart of the Turkish furniture sector is in Inegol.
The furniture industry in Turkey is very dynamic and
this has resulted in the international competitiveness
of Turkish manufacturers, particularly when it comes to
quality, design and price. At present, around 25 percent
of the USD 6 billion furniture production in Turkey is
marketed across global markets. Inegol constitutes 35
percent of this and the aim is to hit USD 1 billion in
exports in 2012. With more than 260 large-scale factories
and 1,500 production centers, Inegol has maintained its
position as the largest furniture producer and exporter
in Turkey. Current export statistics show that there are
around 300 Inegol furniture companies exporting their
products to over 100 countries across the globe.
The exhibition is primarily for those companies who
are looking to purchase a wide range of high quality
products at competitive rates. Due to the fact that Inegol
is rich in raw materials, the woodworking industry
benefits from direct access to high quality raw materials
that are sourced locally. This further contributes to the
international competitiveness of timber products being
manufactured in Inegol. In addition, the strategic location
of Turkey, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and its
close proximity to the Middle East, ensures exporters
have access to both regions whilst also ensuring a fair
balance in international visitors to the exhibition.
The profile of exhibitors at Modef Expo includes
manufacturers producing modern and classical sofa
sets, bedroom sets, dining room sets, sitting groups,
sofas, couches, children and young room furniture, and
kitchen and furniture accessories. Further, the show is
well attended by professionals including furniture and
chain store representatives, wholesalers, distributors,
importers, exporters, procurement officers, dealers,
architects, interior designers and decorators, industrial
designers, contracting companies, and furniture
manufacturers. Last year, the fair hosted 146 exhibitors
and was visited by more than 15,322 professionals, of
which over 1,765 were international trade visitors from
48 different countries.
SHOWTIME
Date: 13 - 17 OctoberVenue: Tuyap Fair Convention and Congress CenterLocation: Istanbul, Turkeytimings: 13 - 16 October (Saturday - Tuesday), 10:00 - 19:00 and 17 October (Wednesday), 10:00 - 18:00expecteD attenDees: 50,000+WeBsite: www.intermobistanbul.com
Date: 17 - 19 OctoberVenue: Singapore Expo, Hall 2Location: Singaporetimings: 17 - 18 October (Wednesday - Thursday), 10:00 - 18:00 and 19 October (Friday) 10:00 - 16:00expecteD attenDees: 8,000+WeBsite: www.furniproasia.com
To be held at the Tüyap Fair and Convention Center,
Büyükçekmece between October 13 and 17, 2012, the
International Wood Processing Machinery, Cutting Tools
and Hand Tools Fair and the Intermob International
Furniture Components, Accessories, Forestry Products
and Wood Technologies Fair will host the wood products,
machinery and technologies industries. The two fairs
create a fair, unbiased platform for two industries with a
combined export target of USD 3.8 billion in 2012, and
gather the leading participants of the growing wood,
furniture and components industries under one roof.
The two fairs will showcase a great variety of
sustainable, world-class wood products to a wide base of
professional visitors. The fairs display the full potential
of the industry while providing a point of entry to the
market, making Istanbul the hub of industry and trade for
the wood industry.
InTErmob IsTanbul and Wood procEssIng machInEry faIr
furnIpro asIa
The biennial furniPRO Asia offers unparalleled outreach
and access for the international woodworking and furniture
production industry to trade professionals in the ASEAN
region and beyond - showcasing some 250 exhibitors and
attracting more than 8,000 trade visitors in the first year.
Serving as an ideal sourcing platform for customers from
the ASEAN furniture and furnishings manufacturing industry,
the show offers manufacturers and service providers from
the international woodworking and furniture production
industry an ideal gateway to ASEAN markets. It is the premier
networking and innovations exchange platform, boasting
unique business matching and opportunities for participants
to exchange knowledge and insights with fellow industry
professionals.
The exhibition will feature country pavilions from Germany,
Italy, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States of America.
furniPRO Asia 2012 brings together ASEAN buyers and
sellers with a focus on woodworking, wood products,
materials and furniture production to buy, sell and network.
BRINGING SPACES TO LIFEINDEX 2012 PRESENTS THE MIDDLE EAST’S LEADING TRADE EVENT DEDICATED TO SURFACES AND FINISHES
TO BECOME AN EXHIBITOR, CONTACT US AT
[email protected] US ON +971 (0)4 438 0355OR VISIT WWW.INDEXEXHIBITION.COM/MORE
Scan the QR code to bring INDEX
into your life
www.indexexhibition.com/more
INDEX SILVER SPONSOR
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SHOWTIME
53September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
Date: 18 - 21 OctoberVenue: Cairo International Conferences and Conventions Center (CICC), Hall 4Location: Cairo, Egypttimings: 11:00 - 21:00expecteD attenDees: 15,000+WeBsite: www.cairowoodshow.com
Date: 24 - 27 SeptemberVenue: Dubai World Trade CentreLocation: Dubai, UAEtimings: 11:00 - 19:00expecteD attenDees: 28,000+WeBsite: www.indexexhibition.com
caIro WoodshoW
The second edition of the pioneering Cairo International
Wood & Wood Machinery Show (Cairo WoodShow) is set to
take place in October showcasing the products and services
of over 700 leading manufacturers and traders from over 50
countries at the Cairo International Convention Centre. As the
biggest international specialized wood and wood machinery
show in Egypt, the event aims to highlight the best local and
regional wood products in addition to focusing on import
capabilities, manufacturing and processing potential as
well as trade mechanisms for the sector in Egypt. The Cairo
WoodShow offers participants and visitors a comprehensive
program and is part of a series of wood and wood machinery
exhibitions, which includes the ‘Dubai WoodShow,’ that are all
being organized by Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions.
Aiming to become the largest and most effective trade
platform for the wood and wood machinery sector and all
related activities in Egypt and Africa, the second edition
follows the success of the inaugural Cairo WoodShow, which
exceeded all expectations despite the political instability in
Egypt. In the aftermath of the revolution, the country has
maintained its leading position within the regional wood
market, which is expected to post over USD 5 billion in
domestic wood production by the end of this year. To date,
Egypt has already been able to key in more than USD 3
billion in furniture production and USD 1 billion in furniture
exports this year and the organizers are positive that the
exhibition will play a fundamental role in shaping the market
for wood and wood machinery in Africa.
The Cairo WoodShow benefits from Egypt’s position as both
a major North African economic power and the cultural leader
of the Arab world. According to the organizers, the 2012
edition is aimed at helping the government showcase the
stability within the timber sector in the country with a view
towards attracting further investment into the sector. As such,
the show will include daily thought leadership conferences,
multiple workshop sessions and two days of exclusive one-
to-one business meetings. Aiming to offer a comprehensive
platform, the organizers have also announced plans to host
an ‘Auction Zone’ - a first for the sector in Egypt, Africa and
the Middle East. The daily auction will run for 2 hours and will
allow exhibitors to sell products through this unique platform.
IndEx 2012
INDEX is well established as the Middle East and
North Africa’s largest and longest established Interiors
and Design Exhibition. Under the theme ‘Where
Inspiration Thrives’, the exhibition will cover 34,000
sqm gross space of the Dubai World Trade Centre
exhibition centre, occupying halls from 1 to 8 and the
Zabeel Hall. Over 900 exhibitors from 45 countries
- including Brazil, Canada, Greece, Germany, Italy,
Malaysia, Spain, UK - have booked a floor space to
showcase their products.
INDEX 2012 will replicate the successful and
easy-to-walk-around product specific show structure
that was introduced for last year’s edition; plus five
completely new sectors - Inspire, Surface & Finishes,
Couture, Fixture & Fittings and Furniture - have
been added to the six already existing - Furnishings,
Kitchen & Bathroom, Lighting, Outdoor Living, InRetail
and Textiles - giving commercial visitors an even more
comprehensive and extensive offer.
During the four days of the exhibition, INDEX will
also host a number of events and features, providing
the design community with incredible networking
and educational opportunities. The calendar of events
includes Design Talks; the 4th Annual Contemporary
Majlis Design Competition; Les Collections Exclusives
- a daily fashion show featuring couture collections
realized by award winning Emirati designers DAS
collection; the Artist Avenue where artists and
galleries display their own creations; and Lighting
Visione designed by SVEN|M, which is a special
section of the Lighting Show featuring iconic lighting
products and innovations from the past, present and
future.
54 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
SHOWTIME
Date: 8 - 11 NovemberVenue: Istanbul Expo CenterLocation: Istanbul, Turkeytimings: 8 - 10 November (Thursday - Saturday), 10:00 - 18:00 and 11 November (Sunday), 10:00 - 17:30expecteD attenDees: 25,000WeBsite: www.domotex-middle-east.com
domoTEx mIddlE EasT
DOMOTEX Middle East, the leading trade fair for carpets
and floor coverings in Turkey and Middle East, is set to run
from 8-11 November at the Istanbul Expo Center. Starting
from this year, DOMOTEX Middle East will be organized
annually in Istanbul by Hannover-Messe International
Istanbul. The fair is expected to provide an international
business platform in Turkey and the Middle East for the
carpet and flooring industry with its current exhibitors from
20 different countries as well as its visitors coming from 20
focus countries, including Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Armenia,
Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia,
Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey
and Turkmenistan.
Under the theme - ‘Get the spirit of flooring’ - DOMOTEX
Middle East aims to provide a lively platform for visitors,
wherein they have the opportunity to see, touch, smell the
products displayed at the show, to compare their quality,
feel the mystic ambience and discover new trends in the
industry. Visitors to the show will primarily comprise
of interior designers, architects, floor layers, industrial
designers, furniture and dye manufacturers, planners,
investors, real-estate developers, whole sellers, retailers,
purchasing executives for hotels, shopping malls and public
institutions as well as ship and yacht building companies.
The exhibition is being organized with the permission of
the Union of Chamber and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey
(TOBB) and is supported by important associations and
unions including the Istanbul Carpet Exporters Association
(IHIB), Chamber of Interior Designers, Izmir Chamber of
Commerce (IZTO), Antalya Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, Afyonkarahisar Chamber of Commerce and
Industry, Simav Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Turhal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Zile Chamber
of Commerce and Industry, Salihli Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, Dudullu Organized Industrial Zone, and the
OSTIM Organized Industrial. In addition to the exhibition, the
organizers are hosting a conference, panel discussions and
special events such as ‘IHIB Carpet Design Awards’, which is
being organized by IHIB.
According to the organizers, international exhibitors
participating at the fair include companies from Austria,
Belgium, China, Czech Republic, Egypt, Hungary, Iran, France,
Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Netherlands,
Pakistan, South Korea, UAE, United Kingdom and United
States. Amidst the confirmed exhibitors are leading Turkish
and international key players such as Balta (Belgium), Egger
(Austria), Oriental Weavers (Egypt), Saray Hali / Tiffany Halı
(Turkey), Eco Hali, Turkuaz Hali, STEPEVI, Bahariye Mensucat,
Serfloor, Yıldız Sunta MDF and Covtex-Feizy (Turkey).
The decision to host the show in Turkey was based on
Turkey’s position as one of the world’s top five exporters of
hand- and machine-made carpets and textile floor coverings
- with around a quarter of its exports going to the Middle
East. At the same time, Turkey, with its population of around
73 million, now ranks as the world’s 17th largest economy
and also boasts economic growth that is well above the
global average. In the second quarter of 2011, Turkey’s
gross domestic product (GDP) grew by a stunning 8.8
percent year on year. The country’s economic growth rate
for 2010 as a whole was an impressive 8.9 percent growth.
Economists expect the country’s rapid economic expansion
to continue, especially in the building and construction
sector. More importantly, forecasts predict that around 210
million square meters (2.26 billion sq. ft) of carpets and
floor coverings will be laid in Turkey in 2012 alone, which
augurs well for exhibitors and visitors going to DOMOTEX
Middle East.
56 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
SHOWTIME INTERVIEW
mTc global WoodmarT 2012 To boosT rEgIonal TImbEr IndusTry
Cheah Kam Huan, CEO, Malaysian Timber Council
talks to Timber Design & Technology ahead of the
upcoming MTC Global Woodmart 2012
In retrospect, what were the major achievements of the 2010 show?MTC Global WoodMart (MGW) 2010
was able to attract 108 exhibitors
from more than 20 countries including
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France,
Germany, India, New Zealand, South
Korea, the UAE, UK and USA. As a small
but very focused show, MGW 2010
successfully hosted over 2,000 trade
buyers from 50 countries with sizeable
representations from Japan, the
Netherlands, China, India, Singapore,
Thailand and the UAE. A closer look at
the numbers reveals that 84 percent
of the visitors were in management,
decision-making roles, purchasing,
planning, production and sales; 82
percent of the exhibitors rated the
show as good/excellent compared to
other trade shows; and 92 percent of
the exhibitors rated the quality and
quantity of trade visitors as having
met/exceeded their expectations.
How is this year’s edition positioned?MGW 2012 will feature double
the floor space in comparison to
the 2010 edition. The American
Hardwood Export Council (AHEC)
and FrenchTimber are again partner
organizations for the show. The show
is a small but a highly focused show,
and the first in Southeast Asia to
focus mainly on timber raw materials.
As such, it is meant for local and
overseas suppliers, agents, distributors,
importers, manufacturers, wholesalers
and others in the timber supply chain.
What are the main objectives for this year’s edition?The main objectives of MGW 2012
are to provide a platform for the
strengthening of the global timber-
based network and to promote the
use of timber in construction, interior
fit-outs and furniture manufacturing.
The show aims to generically promote
timber as a renewable and most
eco-friendly raw material whilst also
positioning Malaysia as a high quality
timber-based manufacturing hub and
springboard for the Asian timber-
based market.
Are there any events such as awards, seminars and workshops at this year’s edition?There are two side events at MGW
2012 - the ‘Best Presentation Award’
(4-5 October 2012) and ‘Timber Talk
on Wood and Design’ (5 October
2012). In all honesty, timber is a raw
material, and unlike furniture, requires
more effort to attract visitors. The
‘Best Presentation Award’ is aimed at
encouraging creative booth designs
and timber-based product display at
MGW 2012. Booths will be judged
based on visual impact, concept,
creativity, product focus and space
utilization. The judging will take
place on 4 October and the prize
presentation ceremony is slated for 5
October 2012. In addition, the ‘Timber
Talk on Wood and Design’ provides
technical information to architects
and engineers on the use of wood
in a wide range of building designs.
It is aimed at providing an insight
into understanding timber’s inherent
qualities as a building material. Both
the guest speakers are award-winning
architects and urban designers who
have regularly specified timber in
many of their projects. Kevin Hill, of
Venturer Pte Ltd based in Singapore
will share his extensive experience
on ‘Creative Structural Timber Works’
while Kenneth Yeh, of Marra and Yeh
Architects based in Sydney, will talk
about ‘Building with Wood – Technique
and Technology’.
How does MTC Global WoodMart aim to be different from other timber industry trade fairs?MGW is a timber materials show that
is focused on delivering results to
its exhibitors and visitors. It is the
first show in Malaysia and Southeast
Asia to focus primarily on timber raw
materials.
How many visitors and exhibitors are likely to be
Image © MTC
57September 2012 | www.timberdesignandtechnology.com
SHOWTIME INTERVIEW
there at the fair this year? What percentage of them are repeat exhibitors and how many of them are new?There are currently 96 exhibitors
who have registered for MGW 2012,
out of which 70 percent are repeat
exhibitors. We believe that 10 - 20
percent of the exhibitors will be
participating for the first time this year
and we expect at least 5,000 visitors
for this year’s show.
The American Hardwood Export
Council (AHEC) has increased the
size of their booth from 36 sqm
in 2010 to 126 sqm for MGW
2012. Its members that will be
participating include Baillie, Bridgewell
Resources LLC, Graf Brothers, HSEG,
Nina Company LLC, Northland
Corporation, Robinson Lumber
Company, Snowbelt Hardwoods Inc,
Somerset Wood Products, Sonoking
Corporation and Missouri Walnut.
The US-based International Wood
Products Association will also be
participating under the AHEC banner.
FrenchTimber’s members who have
confirmed their participation include
Eurochene, Ducerf, Groupe Lefebvre
and Saint-Loubert. FrenchTimber has
also increased their booth size from 36
sqm to 54 sqm.
Who are some of the new exhibitors making their debut at the show this year?Among the major Malaysian companies
who are making their debut at MGW
2012 are Samling, Subur Tiasa and Ta
Ann. The first ever Sarawak Pavilion
at MGW 2012 with a confirmed space
of 108 sqm will be coordinated by the
Sarawak Timber Industry Development
Corporation (STIDC) and Sarawak
Timber Association (STA). In addition,
the Programme for the Endorsement
of Forest Certification schemes (PEFC)
and the American Softwood Export
Council will also be taking up booths
for the first time.
Other first timers include Asia
Pioneer Impex Pte Ltd (Singapore),
Bamboo Bio-Composites Sdn Bhd
(Malaysia), Gilbert Hardwood Industries
(Malaysia), Houtimport aan de Vecht
BV (Netherlands), Premier Wood Profile
Sdn Bhd (Malaysia), PT KaryaBhakti
Manunggal (Indonesia), and Robin
Resources Sdn Bhd (Malaysia).
Do you have an idea of the volume of business that might be conducted at the show this year?For MGW 2010, although we
disseminated a survey form to all
exhibitors on the show, many of them
did not reveal the amount of sales that
they had made, saying that for many
of them, it was normal to not get any
sales immediately after the show. Most
of them, however, said that the number
and quality of visitors to their booths
met or exceeded their expectations.
Image © MTC
Image © MTC
58 www.timberdesignandtechnology.com | September 2012
SHOWTIME
FurnIture ASIA11th - 13th SeptemberKarachi expo CenterKarachi, Pakistanwww.furnitureasia.com.pk
teKHnOdreV SIberIA11th - 14th Septembersiberia International exhibition Business Centre, 19, Aviatorov st.Krasnoyarsk, Russiahttp://old.restec.ru/exhibitions/featured/tekhnodrev-siberia/index.en.html
PrOjeCt IrAQ17th - 20th Septembererbil International FairgroundIraqwww.project-iraq.com
“SOutHexPOFurnIture”, “WOOdWOrKIng”, “InterIOr”20th - 23rd SeptemberVertol expo exhibition CenterRostov-on-Don, Russiawww.en.vertolexpo.ru
Index 201224th - 27th SeptemberDubai World Trade CentreDubai, uAewww.indexexhibition.com
tImber exPO25th - 26th septemberRicoh ArenaCoventry, uKwww.timber-expo.co.uk
LIgnumexPO & FOreSt 2012 2nd - 5th OctoberFairground AgrokomplexNitra, slovakiawww.agrokomplex.sk/vystava/199 rISI nOrtH AmerICAn FOreSt PrOduCtS COnFerenCe3rd - 5th OctoberPark Plaza HotelBoston (MA), usAwww.risiinfo.com/events/na_conf
mtC gLObAL WOOdmArt 20124th - 6th OctoberKuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC)Kuala Lumpur, Malaysiawww.globalwoodmart.my
W12 7th - 10th OctoberThe NeC Birmingham, uKwww.w12exhibition.com
mOdeF exPO 201210th - 14th OctoberHikmet sahin Cultural Park International exhibition CenterInegol - Bursa, Turkeywww.modef.com.tr/index.php/en
IntermOb IStAnbuL13th - 17th OctoberTuyap Fair Convention and Congress CenterIstanbul, Turkeywww.intermobistanbul.com
FurnIPrO ASIA17th - 19th Octobersingapore expo, Hall 2singaporewww.furniproasia.com
CAIrO WOOdSHOW 18th - 21st OctoberCairo International Conferences and Conventions Center (CICC), Hall 4Cairo, egyptwww.cairowoodshow.com
Index trAde FAIrS - mumbAI 201218th - 21st OctoberMMRDA exhibition Center, Bandra Kurla Complex, Bandra (east)Mumbai, Indiawww.ubmindexfairs.com
LeSdreVmASH22nd - 26th Octoberexpocentre FairgroundsMoscow, Russiawww.lesdrevmash-expo.ru/en
SASO24th - 28th Octoberexpo Centre, Nasrecsplit, Croatiawww.sasofair.com/index_eng.htm
WOOden HOuSe buILdIng1st - 4th NovemberKiev expo Plaza exhibition CenterKiev, ukrainewww.woodenhouse.kiev.ua
dOmOtex mIddLe eASt8th - 11th NovemberIstanbul expo CenterIstanbul, Turkeywww.domotex-middle-east.com/en/index.html
Expo calEndar
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