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Report
from
North America
Keruing, virola and sapelle imports up from last year
US tropical sawn hardwood imports remained at much the
same level in July, but this was mainly due to increasing
imports of balsa, while shipments of most other species
declined from the previous month.
Imports of balsa were 3,416 cu.m. (-21% year-to-date), ipe
1,233 cu.m. (+34%), acajou d¡¯Afrique 2,343 cu.m. (-16%),
mahogany 1,365 cu.m. (-19%), and virola 1,021 cu.m.
(+70%).
2011 keruing imports almost doubled from last year to
1,638 cu.m. (+96% year-to-date), and teak imports saw a
spike in July at 1,743 cu.m. (+27% year-to-date).
Timber imports from Brazil increased by 30% from June
to July despite a slowdown in ipe shipments. Brazilian
virola shipments increased significantly, while Peru
exported almost no virola to the US in July.
Acajou d¡¯Afrique (mahogany) imports shifted away from
Ghana to Cameroon and Cote d¡¯Ivoire in July.
Plywood imports from Indonesia up in July
US hardwood plywood imports declined slight in July,
down 3% from June to 221,770 cu.m. Year-to-date
imports are still 3% above last year¡¯s volume, but the
recovery in plywood demand has been slower than
expected due to the dire state of the US economy and the
housing market.
Imports from China slid 20% from June to 140,416 cu.m.
in July, but in the year to date plywood imports from
China are still 22% above last year. China¡¯s share in total
US imports of hardwood plywood year-to-date was 70%,
down from 77% in June.
The decline in shipments from Indonesia in June appears
to have been only temporary, and in July imports went
back up to 19,881 cu.m. Malaysia shipped 8,772 cu.m. (-
56% year-to-date) and Ecuador 4,302 cu.m. (-14% yearto-
date) in July.
Hardwood moulding imports from Peru growing
July imports of hardwood moulding were almost at the
same level as last month and 18% above 2010 on a yearto-
date basis. The value of imports was US$19.5 million in
July, with China supplying US$6.8 million and Brazil
US$6.1 million.
Brazil has increased moulding shipments by 51% so far
this year compared to 2010. Imports from Malaysia also
grew and were US$1.5 million in July (+43% year-todate).
While Peru is a smaller moulding supplier than China,
Brazil and Malaysia, its sales to the US have grown over
the past year. This summer Peru¡¯s year-to-date exports to
the US surpassed Indonesia¡¯s and stood at US$4.4 million
in July.
Malaysia and Indonesia increase hardwood flooring shipments
US hardwood flooring imports declined from the previous
month to US$ 2.0 million in July, but year-to-date imports
remain much higher (+52%) than in 2010.
Malaysia was again the largest supplier of hardwood
flooring in July at US$648,000 (+113% year-to-date).
China exported US$489,000 (+36% year-to-date) and
Indonesia US$225,000 (+198%). Imports from Brazil
declined to US$131,000 (-3% year-to-date).
US manufacturers of engineered wood flooring have also
increased exports to the rest of the world. Helped by the
weak US dollar, the US exported 40% more flooring this
year to date than in 2010. Europe and Canada are the US¡¯
largest export markets.
Final hearing scheduled for investigation on flooring
imports from China
The final hearing will be held on October 12 regarding the
alleged dumping of multi-layer (engineered) wood
flooring from China, according to the magazine Hardwood
Floors.
After this hearing the International Trade Commission will
decide whether the US Department of Commerce can
impose duties on engineered flooring imports from China.
A coalition of American flooring importers and retailers
are expected to oppose the introduction of antidumping
and countervailing duties, stating that the duties would
threaten their businesses and American jobs.
The final International Trade Commission ruling is
expected in November. In October, the US Department of
Commerce will also issue a revised determination of the
current preliminary countervailing and anti-dumping
duties on engineered wood flooring from China.
Changes in the NWFA Responsible Procurement Program
The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) has
relaxed some of the requirements in its Responsible
Procurement Program, which recognises and promotes
wood flooring that come from environmentally and
socially responsible sources and suppliers.
The changes to the programme included removing a label
that implied that the product was legally sourced and
eliminating the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Controlled Wood Standard in its tier 2 certification. Tier 2
certification still includes obtaining FSC chain-of-custody
certification and selling some FSC-certified products.
The programme was designed in 2008/09 with the first
companies certified in 2010. Currently seven US flooring
manufacturers participate in the programme. The
programme uses the US Renewing Forest label and helps
companies in the transition to FSC-certified products. It
also supplies guidelines for responsible procurement and
guidance for the due care requirements of the Lacey Act.
World¡¯s tallest multi-use wood structure to be built in Canada
There are tentative plans to build the word¡¯s tallest multiuse
wood structure (including non-residential use) in the
small city of Prince George, British Columbia. The
building could be ten storeys high and it will house the
Wood Innovation and Design Centre, which will be
largely funded by the provincial government.
Construction is likely to start in 2012 and the cost is
estimated at around US$7.5 million. The Wood Innovation
and Design Centre will have research and academic
programmes on innovative wood building products and
technologies. The rest of the building will available for
retail, commercial and residential use.
Currently the tallest modern wooden building is the ninestorey
residential ¡®Stadthaus¡¯ in London, UK, built from
cross-laminated timber (CLT).
An eight-storey low-energy office building, the ¡®LifeCycle
Tower¡¯, is being planned in Austria and will be built in
glulam with concrete floor slabs. According to the
Austrian design company, buildings up to 30 storeys tall
can be built in wood using the same building system.
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