buyers they had seen, which carries on the surprisingly upbeat views from Europeanshows that were expressed there, despite the downturn in the global economy. MIFF wasopened by the Malaysian Minister of Plantation Industries & Commodities YB Tan Sri

Vol. 38 No. 5

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PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAID

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Additional photos on pages 12 & 14

Strong Turnout For Canadian Hardwood Bureau MeetingAt the CHB meeting, Brent Stief, chairman of Huron Forest Products, Canadian HardwoodBureau, extended a special thanks on behalf of the Executive Director and all participantsto event sponsors. Hub International (Quebec) Ltee sponsored the evening reception and

Montreal, Quebec–The winter 2012 meeting of the Canadian Hardwood Bureau (CHB),held here recently at Delta Montreal, was a big success with over 125 U.S. and Canadadelegates participating in the event, which was being held for a third consecutive year.

Continued on page 9

North American Hardwoods Prove Valuable In ASEAN Furniture Markets

April/May 2012

WWPA Gathers For Annual Meeting

Photos By Wayne Miller

Six furniture shows took place in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailandrecently with the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) and American hardwoodsactive at all of them:

Malaysian International Furniture Fair (MIFF) The opening day of the show was well attended, and many exhibitors were happy with the

By Wayne MillerPortland, Ore.–The Western Wood Products Association (WWPA) met here recently atthe Embassy Suites for the organization’s annual meeting.The meeting commenced with an executive committee meeting followed by a welcomereception. Guests convened for a WWPA breakfast forecast, followed by several committee

By Michael Buckley

Dennis Cuffley, J.D. Irving Ltd., Clair, N.B.; Yves Lapointe, Prolam, Cap-St-Ignace, Que.; Roland Dufour, GroupSavoie Inc., St. Quentin, N.B.; Marco Morin, Giguere & Morin Inc., St. Felix Kingsley, Que.

Kevin Paldino, Collins Companies, Portland, Ore., Erol Deren, Idaho Forest Group LLC, Coeur d’Alene,Idaho; and Janet Corbett, Warm Springs Forest Products, Warm Springs, Ore.

Ray Barbee, RISI, Bedford, Mass.; and Steve Swanson, Swanson Group Inc., Glendale, Ore.

Jean-Francois Audet and Guillaume Genest, Primewood Lumber Inc., Drummondville, Que.; PatrickHennebicque, Bradford Forest Inc., Bradford, Pa.; and Chuck Beatty, Gutchess Lumber Co., Cortland,N.Y.

Fernex Malaysia displayed several products at IFFINA. Fernex is a loyal user of North American White Oak in itsfurniture products.

The exhibit by the American Hardwood Export Council at the International Furniture & Craft Fair Indonesia (IFFI-NA) in Jakarta spotlighted furniture made of North American hardwoods.

Additional photos on page 14 Continued on page 9

Additional photos on pages 10 & 12 Continued on page 15

meetings.The speaker session of the event featured Paul Jannke, Forest Economic Advisors LLC,George Emmerson, vice president of operations of Sierra Pacific Industries and LynnMichaelis, RISI senior economist.

American hardwood, green design and thetrue environmental impact of materialchoice through AHEC’s Life CycleAssessment study.Keynote speakers from Europe, across

Asia and the U.S. will form a program thatshould have something for everybody. Animpressive line-up of internationallyrenowned speakers has been arrangedincluding Carol Bentel of BentelAssociates, Tony Chi and Luke Hughes.Seminars on using wood for architects andinterior designers will be augmented withtechnical sessions on U.S. hardwood lum-ber grading and U.S. veneer specificationstargeting Chinese and Southeast Asianimporters and traders. U.S. delegates willnot only have the opportunity to networkwith the local delegates, but will also enjoya series of presentations on opportunitiesfor American hardwoods throughout theregion from representatives of the woodprocessing industries of Thailand,Malaysia, Indonesia Vietnam and China.As with all AHEC events overseas, theenvironmental credentials of Americanhardwoods will be a special focus on theAHEC’s Life Cycle Assessment.Registration materials and further informa-tion on the convention can be found atAHEC’s Greater China web page atwww.ahec-china.org or you may contactour Reston, Virginia office at 703-435-2900. The American Hardwood Export Council

(AHEC) is the leading international tradeassociation for the U.S. hardwood industry,representing the committed exportersamong U.S. hardwood companies and allmajor U.S. hardwood product trade associ-ations. AHEC maintains offices in Japan,Europe, Southeast Asia, China, Korea andMexico, in addition to its Reston, Va., head-quarters, to serve the needs of the globalcommunity. For additional information onthe convention as well as additional over-seas activities, please contact AHEC byphone at 703/435-2900, or by email atmsnow@ahec.org.

•

"American Hardwood and GreenDesign: Life Cycle Assessment and theTrue Environmental Impact of MaterialChoice"Twenty years after its first lumber grading

seminars in Singapore, AHEC will be hold-ing its 17th Greater China & SE Asia annu-al convention in Singapore. A press con-ference will be held on June 13th followedby a full day convention on June 14th. The convention will not only highlight

American hardwoods in interior and furni-ture design but will also provide a platformfor AHEC to present the Life CycleAssessment analysis of American hard-woods. The event will be co-hosted by theSingapore Institute of Architects (SIA) andthe Singapore Furniture Industries Council(SFIC) whose members are expected toattend in large numbers. Delegates fromChina and all ASEAN nations are alsoexpected to join together with many ofAHEC’s own exporting members from theUSA. The event is booked at the presti-gious St. Regis Hotel on Tanglin Road inthe heart of Singapore’s downtown touristarea. Traders and importers will exchange mar-

ket information with U.S. hardwoodexporters at this event. The U.S. hardwoodtrading business has escalated to a highlevel in Asia. Total U.S. hardwood productsimported into SEA and GRCH marketswere valued at US$1.082 billion (estimat-ed) in 2012, compared to 1992 – a growthof 647% (averaging annual growth of over32%). Southeast Asia has been heavily reliant

on an export-oriented economy. The cur-rent weak demand in importing ofprocessed timber products (furniture andflooring) from USA and EU markets isdampening SEA’s exports. The hope forstrong recovery in 2012 is dim. Howeverthe brighter picture is that SEA andGreater China are leading the recoveryfrom the worldwide economic slowdown asregional domestic consumption will play arole in compensating part of the weaken-ing, or slow, export markets.Increasingly environmental issues, such

as green design and material choice bymanufacturers, consumers, architects anddesigners and overseas importers, havebecome an additional challenge to theglobal timber industry. The theme of thisconvention addresses the sustainability of

Page 2 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

AF&PA Board Elects New Chairmanand Officers

The American Forest & Paper Association(AF&PA) based in Washington, D.C.,recently announced the election of Boise,Inc. Chairman and CEO Alexander Toeldteas new AF&PA Board Chairman, alongwith the 2012 slate of board officers. Toeldte has served as president and chief

executive officer of Boise, Inc. sinceFebruary 2008. Since being elected toAF&PA’s Board of Directors in Novemberof the same year, Mr. Toeldte has been anactive member of the board, serving inleadership positions within our CEO TaskForce and committee structure. A native ofCologne, Toeldte studied economics at theAlbert-Ludwigs-Universitat in Freiburg,Germany and received his M.B.A. fromMcGill University in Montreal, Canada.“I am honored to be elected as chairman

of the board for 2012,” said Toeldte.“AF&PA member companies manufactureproducts that are integral to society andprovide well-paying jobs for thousands ofAmericans. We are proud of the fact thatour industry is one of the largest producersand users of green renewable biomassenergy in the world. We have also led theway in voluntarily recycling our products. Ilook forward to working with my colleaguesto help increase awareness of our sustain-ability success story.”Also elected to officer positions by the

AF&PA Board are: First Vice Chairman -David W. Scheible, president and CEO ofGraphic Packaging Corporation; SecondVice Chairman - John D. Williams, presi-dent and CEO of Domtar, Inc.; andImmediate Past Chairman - Jim Hannan,CEO and president of Georgia-PacificLLC.

THE

WASHINGTONSCENE

DAVE HALSEY LENNY SHIBLEY

Continued on page 15 Continued on page15 Continued on page 15Continued on page 15

Also beginning terms as members of theAF&PA Board of Directors in 2012, are:William B. Johnson, CEO of JohnsonTimber Company; George D. Jones, presi-dent and CEO of Seaman Paper Companyof Massachusetts, Inc.; Frank Papa, presi-dent and CEO, The Newark Group; Allan F.Trinkwald, president of SimpsonInvestment Company; and Russell Wanke,vice president/general manager ofThilmany Papers LLC.For a complete board listing and more

information about AF&PA, visit www.afand-pa.org.

•

AWC Statement on the U.S. DistrictCourt Decision to Vacate Stay of Boiler

MACT Rules

The American Wood Council (AWC)President Robert Glowinski today issuedthe following statement regarding JudgeFriedman’s District Court decision tovacate the stay of the Boiler MACT rules.“The Court’s decision to vacate the stay of

the 2011 Boiler MACT and Incineratorrules puts thousands of wood productindustry jobs at risk. The already-inade-quate compliance timeframe now has beensignificantly impacted, making the costlyand complicated task of compliance thatmuch more confusing and difficult. Thisruling underscores the need for swift leg-islative action. Congress has the ability tohelp protect American manufacturing bypassing the EPA Regulatory Relief Act –which will give EPA time to finalize a moreappropriate set of rules and provide much-needed certainty to businesses across thecountry – and we urge them to do so with-out delay.”AWC also recently announced the elec-

tion of its 2012 officers and board of direc-tors.Ray Dillon of Deltic Timber was newly

elected, and Rob Taylor of Weyerhaeuserwas reelected to the board. Members whowill continue to serve on the board include:George Emmerson, Sierra Pacific; Tom

Dave Halsey isvice president ofsales for PatrickLumber Co.,located inPortland, Oregon.Patrick Lumberoffers Douglas Fir,Western RedCedar, AlaskaYellow Cedar, PortOrford Cedar,Hemlock, Alder,Sugar Pine,Southern YellowPine andPonderosa Pine.The company alsoremanufac turesflooring, ceiling,decking and finishitems.Patrick currentlymarkets its prod-ucts to distributorsand manufacturersworldwide. Halsey has beenwith Patrick

Lenny Shibley isvice president ofthe sawn timberdepartment atDLH USA/ICH,based in Burgaw,North Carolina.DLH USA/ICHproduces approxi-mately 4 millionboard feet annual-ly of AfricanM a h o g a n y ,Sapele, GenuineM a h o g a n y ,Spanish Cedarand 30 otherspecies. Specialservices includeS2S and widthand length sorts.Shibley has beenwith DLH USA forseven years and inhis current posi-tion for the pastyear. Prior posi-tions held includesales manager for

MATT PRYOR

For more information on AHEC and the export promotion programs, call (703)435-2900, fax (703)435-2537, or visit the website, www.ahec.org.

Matt Pryor isexport salesmanfor Bingaman &Son Lumber Inc.,located inK r e a m e r ,Pennslyvania.Bingaman & SonLumber offershardwood logs,lumber, strips,dimension, ther-mo-treaded hard-woods and lami-nated door andwindow frames inRed and WhiteOak, Ash, Cherry,Hard and SoftMaple, Poplar andWalnut. The firmproduces 35 mil-lion board feetannually. Specialservices includethermo treatmentfor outdoor appli-cations and lami-nation for door and

By Michael SnowExecutive Director

American Hardwood Export CouncilReston, Virginia

AHEC’s 17th China and SoutheastAsia Convention Heads to Singapore

Matt Duprey isvice president ofsales and market-ing for HancockLumber Co.,based in Casco,M a i n e . Hancock LumberCo. manufacturesseveral millionboard feet ofEastern WhitePine productsannually.Duprey has beenwith HancockLumber Co. for 17years and in hiscurrent position for11.A graduate ofCaribou HighSchool, located inCaribou, Maine,he obtained hisBachelor’s ofScience degreewith a concentra-tion in wood sci-

Reprinted from Tuoitre News, The NewsGateway Of VietnamVietnam–As the American and Europeanmarkets have strict requirements about thewood origins of wood and furniture imports,Vietnamese exporters are struggling tolook for certified wood supply sources.

Speaking at the forestry review confer-ence held recently, Cao Chi Cong, directorgeneral of the Forest Use Department, saidthe country has 10 sustainable afforesta-tion models. Five of them have been pilot-ed with international involvement and therest carried out by local authorities.Vietnam’s total forest area is now 13 mil-

lion hectares, including 8 million hectaresof production forests. However, only 36,000hectares, or a mere 0.5 percent of the totalproduction forest area, has received ForestStewardship Council (FSC) certifications.

Enterprises thus find it hard to find legalwood supply sources.

According to the nation’s forest develop-ment program, 30 percent of forests shouldbe issued the Sustainable ManagementCertificate by 2020. However, due to prob-lems in land dispute settlement and thehigh certification fee, the implementationpace has failed to meet the expectation.

“Given the current implementation pace,the 30 percent target is infeasible,” Congsaid. Nguyen Ton Quyen, secretary general ofthe Vietnam Timber and Forest ProductAssociation, noted that local woodexporters must satisfy the U.S. Lacey Actand the EU’s Flegt Act, but insufficient legalsupply sources remained a big obstacle.Nguyen Van Thu, director of PISICOWooden Furniture Joint Stock Company,said his firm mostly imported wood fromMalaysia and Brazil, and purchased it

locally from Quy Nhon Forestation Co.,Ltd., the Japan-invested company joiningthe afforestation program in Binh DinhProvince.At an international seminar on legal wood

commerce held on January 10, Minister ofAgriculture and Rural Development CaoDuc Phat said there are 3,400 wood enter-prises and 600 workshops nationwide,attracting 300,000 laborers. Vietnam has become the leading furnitureexporter in the region and the 10th biggestexporter worldwide.Still, as 80 percent of wood materials are

imported, the wood processing industryearns low profits and develops unsustain-ably.The agriculture ministry’s statisticsshowed that the export turnover ofVietnamese wooden products last yearreached US$4.1 billion, rising 14.7 percentyear-on-year. Traditional importers like the U.S., China,Japan, South Korea and England boughtas much as 80 percent of Vietnameseexport furniture worth over US$3 billion.However, the local wood processing indus-try is still dependent heavily on importedmaterials.Vietnam spent as much as US$1.33 bil-

lion in 2011 on importing wood materialsand other forestry products, or a surge of16.6 percent against 2010.The industry targets an export turnover of

$4.5 billion in 2015 and US$7 billion in2020. The agriculture ministry estimates $7 bil-lion is needed for investment in the woodindustry from now to 2020 while afforesta-tion will need $800 million to $1 billion.

•

Exporters Hampered By LackOf Certified Wood

Continued on page 15

MATT DUPREY

FEATURES:

WWPA Gathers For Annual Meeting . .1

Canadian Hardwood Bureau Meeting .1

ASEAN Furniture Markets . . . . . . . . . .1

KRETZ LUMBER CO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

AA Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Las Vegas Welcomes SURFACES . . . .6

New Markets For U.S. Lumber Exporting . .8

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

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

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

Exporters Hampered By Lack of Cert. Wood 2

Value of Association PACs....................3

Business Trends Abroad.....................19

Business Trends Can., Hardwoods .............19

Stock Exchange .........................20 & 21

Business Trends U.S.A., Hardwoods .............22

Newswires...........................................25

Import/Export Calendar ......................27

Classified Opportunities......................29

Advertisers Index ................................29

U.S. & Canadian Softwood Forest Products

Export Suppliers.............................30 & 31

Table of Contents

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Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

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

Sue Putnam - Editorial DirectorMichelle Keller - Associate EditorJohn M. Gray, Jr. - Production/Art DirectorWalter J. Lee - Production/Asst. Art DirectorRachael Stokes - Advertising ManagerLisa Carpenter - Circulation ManagerU.S. Correspondents: Chicago, Ill., Grand Rapids, Mich., HighPoint, N.C., Los Angeles, Calif., Portland, Ore., Memphis, Tenn.Canadian Correspondents: TorontoForeign Correspondents: Brazil, Philippines, Malaysia, Chile,Bangkok, Thailand, Singapore, New Zealand.The Import/Export Wood Purchasing News is the product ofa company and its affiliates that have been in the publishingbusiness for over 86 years.Other publications edited for specialized markets and distrib-uted worldwide include:Forest Products Export Directory • Hardwood PurchasingHandbook • National Hardwood Magazine • Dimension & WoodComponents Buyer’s Guide • Imported Wood Purchasing Guide• Green Book’s Hardwood Marketing Directory • Green Book’sSoftwood Marketing Directory • The Softwood Forest ProductsBuyer

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tee? Without member support, you won’thave a PAC to give with, so you had bettermake sure to reflect and involve your mem-bership. 2. Stay focused on relationships.

Support candidates or incumbents whohave a strong history with your industry. Inour case, we represent U.S. industries andinternational trade, so we focus onRepresentatives with major shipping ports,strong U.S. wood manufacturing base,etc… While larger PACs can afford to dis-perse money more widely, a smaller asso-

ciation must focustheir PAC contributionson targeted offices –building up those rela-tionships over time.We don’t give moneyjust because a race ishigh profile. A strongPAC is one that hasdeveloped relation-ships with specificoffices over time that

isn’t dependent on an election cycle. Forexample, our PAC supports one particularSenator who now knows our issues verywell and we know we can count on to helpexpress our interests – whether we con-tribute to him or not. That relationship iswhat needs to be placed first, not whetheryou have filled campaign coffers.3. Your PAC giving strategy has to com-

plement your “boots on the ground”advocacy and outreach. Giving money toan office you don’t interact with doesn’t

Every time I open the paper there seemsto be another headline about polling num-bers or delegate counts. And much as I’dlike to read about something else now andagain – elections are a good thing.Elections give everyone a chance to havetheir voice heard, a chance to support can-didates you like or vote against ones youdon’t.Now, associations obviously don’t get to

vote in elections. But we do get a chance touse our Political Action Committees (PACs)to support candidates we like – much like avote on behalf of our members. The last few election cycles, I’ve heard a

lot of misinformation being spread aboutassociation PACs. As head of an associa-tion with a relatively small PAC, I thought Iwould share the top five things I havelearned that show how relevant and impor-tant a PAC can be for an association, andhow it can amplify the other work of theassociation.1. PAC’s don’t fund themselves.

Without buy-in from your members, yousimply won’t have a PAC. An associationPAC must demonstrate that it shares thevalues of its members. That meansexplaining your funding decisions – espe-cially if you are supporting a candidateyour members may be against. If yourmembership leans heavily Republican orheavily Democrat and you support some-one from across the aisle, you need to bevery specific about why. Did this membersupport a key Bill that affects your mem-bers? Do they sit on an important commit- Continued on page 16

serve your association’s needs. Your PACneeds to work with and for your associationto make those dollars count. IWPA has afull-time lobbyist on staff who also handlesour PAC, so we have a clear unity in pur-pose. PAC contributions ought to supportcandidates or incumbents that will repre-sent your views, or may be key to anupcoming legislative fight. At the sametime, your lobbyist needs to be activelyworking with the staff of those incumbents.When your PAC complements the work ofyour association you will see both the PACand the association stronger for it.

April/May 2012 Page 3

By Brent J. McClendon, CAEExecutive Vice President

International Wood Products Associationwww.iwpawood.org

Election Year Politics – The Value of Association PACs

Page 4 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Continued on page 16

KRETZ LUMBER CO. – Committed To Exports

Located in Antigo, Wis., Kretz Lumber Co. has 8,000 acres of timberland.Prospective Chinese customers visit Kretz Lumber Co. in Antigo, Wis.

The Wisconsin Govenor’s Export Achievement award, presented by GovernorScott Walker, was accepted by Tim Kassis, export manager, Troy Brown, pres-ident, and Cal Diercks, salesman in 2011.

Tim Kassis meets prospective buyers in Dubai to establish sales opportuni-ties.

Pete Hilgers sorts logs for export.Exhibiting at a trade show in Delhi, India

By Paul Miller Jr.

Antigo, Wis.–Kretz Lumber Co., locatedhere, produces green and kiln-dried hard-wood lumber. Species offered include:Alder, Aspen, Basswood, Beech,Birdseye/Curly Maple, White Ash, BlackWalnut, Butternut, Cherry, Hard and SoftMaple, Hickory, Red Birch, Red and WhiteOak, Poplar, and Tigerstripe Maple (4/4through 8/4).Kretz Lumber’s export division is able toprovide lumber and cut-to-size dimensionthroughout the world. The employee-owned company is located in the northcentral part of the United States. Export Division Manager Tim Kassis saidthe company inventories as much as a mil-lion board feet of lumber. We have thecapacity to hold about 1.5 to 2 millionboard feet, he explained. We currently cutabout 40,000 feet per day. On averageabout 20 million board feet processesthrough our facility annually.Kretz has 8,000 acres of timberland andseven foresters on staff. We buy and man-age forest lots for other people as well,Kassis explained. We purchase within a150-mile radius.Our White Hard Maple in this region growsat a slower rate, Kassis continued. So it isknown for its very high white color on theHard Maple and on the Basswood. Thequality of material is the best in this region,so we produce a lot of high end material forthe cabinet industry, and flooring and furni-ture manufacturers.As for transportation, the company has acomplete container loading operationincluding log-handling equipment. We canload containers with logs with no problemsat all, he noted. We also own our owntrucks and we are able to truck materiallocally.Kretz Lumber has been exporting its prod-ucts into China, Vietnam, Turkey and othercountries. “We’re probably shipping toabout 15 countries at this point,” Kassisexplained. The company prides itself on the ability toprocess paperwork and move containers ina timely manner. We were recent recipi-ents of the government’s Excellence Awardfor Exports out of Wisconsin, Kassisoffered. “We’re very happy with that awardand are continuing to grow our exports inveneer logs and lumber.Kassis said the people at Kretz spend a lotof time and effort inspecting the product. “We make sure everything is on grade andexport tallied correctly. We have inspectorsthat grade the lumber as many as threetimes as it goes through the process fromgreen to dry. When we plane it or if we putit up rough, it is inspected again.”He also mentioned that all of Kretz’sinspectors are trained to use the NationalHardwood Lumber Association’s gradingrules. We are in a continual quality controlclimate here. We have the equipment toscan the boards so that the tallies, lengths,and widths are all done separately.” Kretz Lumber also manufactures hard-wood flooring and dimension. We have adimension wood component plant wherewe can process wood components orripped to widths for export as well. We can

Lumber Sales - Paul DowPhone 001-330-893-3121Fax 001-330-893-3031paul@yoderlumber.com

Lei ZhaoShanghai Office

Email leizhao105@gmail.comPhone 86-13917158857

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

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

April/May 2012 Page 5

Saigon, Vietnam–Established in 1990 asa construction company specializing ininterior decoration, AA Corporation hasprogressively developed from highdependency on furniture into one of theleading interior contracting companies andhigh quality furniture manufacturers inVietnam as well as internationally.American hardwoods form an importantpart of the AA palette of imported materialsit offers. For more than a decade the company hasstrived to exceed its customer expectationsby placing great emphasis on the integrityof its products and services. During thistime AA Corporation has continued toexperience rapid growth helping to estab-lish a global organization with more than2,000 dedicated employees and has anextensive list of completed project refer-ences. The company, led by ChairmanNguyen Quoc Khanh, is well-known to theAmerican Hardwood Export council withwhom he has participated in many eventsover the years. As former chairman of thefurniture association Handicraft and WoodIndustry Association of Vietnam (HAWA),which AHEC has supported in its variousactivities. A regular delegate at AHEC’sAsian conventions, Khanh is very familiarwith American species. AA Corporation iswell-versed in large scale project manage-ment and has taken its place as one of theleading interior fit-out companies operatingin Southeast Asia for hotels, residences,spas, retail shops, restaurants and offices.

AA Corporation Makes Advancements

At AA Corporation’s plant, an employee splicesBlack Walnut veneer.

Custom solid-wood joinery manufactured at AACorporation for a client in the hotel industry.

By Michael Buckley

Continued on page 16

( L e f t ) A ACorporation, inSaigon, special-izes in interiordecoration, suchas these barstools, made ofNorth AmericanRed Oak at thecompany’s manu-facturing facility.

(Right) AACorporationC h a i r m a nNguyen QuocKhanh.Yellow Poplar turns into exquisite furniture at AA Corporation.

AA Corporation keeps American Black Walnut in stock for use in many of itsfurniture applications.

American Red Oak decoration by AA Corporation installed at The Life Resortin Da Nang.

American Red Alder at AA Corporation’s plant.

Page 6 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Daniel Bernier, Carlos Filho, Paula Iague and Jules Sebra, IPA Wood Flooring,Lambton, Quebec

Rongfei Lai, Yiting Jiang and Ailan Wang, Fudeli Flooring, Shaoxing, China

Raymaond Gu, Jennifer Jiang, Kathy Yu and Gerry Zhou, Lodgi Flooring,Xiamen, China

Las Vegas Welcomes SURFACES

Las Vegas, Nevada–SURFACES 2012,the event where thousands of industryprofessionals have the opportunity tosee the newest and most innovativeproducts in every category: hardwood,carpet, tile, rugs and laminate, makelong-lasting business relationships withleading manufacturers and suppliersand receive top-notch education, wasrecently held here at Mandalay BayConvention Center.More than 600 of the largest manufac-turers and suppliers representing prod-ucts in every major category were pres-ent at this year’s SURFACES.Thousands of floor covering retailers,distributors, installers, architects,designers and builders from around theworld came together at this event forthree days to see the latest products, getvital education and network with otherfloor covering professionals and getbusiness done.With more than 40 workshops, semi-nars and mini-sessions led by industryexperts in the fields of business, sales,marketing, installation and design, SUR-FACES offered attendees multipleopportunities to learn from experts. At SURFACES 2012, The CONNEC-TIONS Pavilion was the cleaning andrestoration area on the show floor. Thispavilion featured booths and a stagewhere attendees watched live presenta-tions on how best to care for their floorcovering products.Also, Artisan Avenue, formerly knownas the Above the Baseboard Pavilion,was a special area of the show floor thatshowcases specialty and decorativeitems such as handcrafted tiles, sinks,cabinets, window coverings, decorativeconcrete and more. Artisan Tool Alley was an area of theshow floor that featured the latest toolsand included a demonstration area forexhibitors to show their tools in action. SURFACES re-introduced the NewProduct Pavilion as the New ProductMarketplace. Attendees browsed thisdedicated area that showcases every-thing new for the year, and visited thosemanufacturers booths for more informa-tion. Additionally, The Trends Hub fea-tured an expansive preview of 2012'shottest products and trends. SURFACES provided attendees multi-ple opportunities to receive top-notcheducation on the floor. The S2 MainStage featured live daily exhibitordemonstrations and educational presen-tations emphasizing the industry'shottest topics. There were also severalin-booth educational offerings by severalexhibiting companies. These livedemonstrations/presentations ran con-currently throughout the three days ofthe show.For more information on this event anddates for next year, visit online atwww.surfaces.com.

•

Wei Wing Wang and Li Qiang, Suzhou Dongda Wood Co. Ltd., Suzhou, China Rain Qu and Maggie Zhang, Xinhu Zhida Flooring and Timber Products Co.Ltd., Guangdong, China

Alice Dong, Mindy Jiang and Lucy Jiann HuMade, Nanjing Minglan WoodenIndustry Co. Ltd., Shanghai, China

Salamanca Lumber Co., Inc. PO Box 416, Salamanca, New York State14779, USA.Phone: (1) 716-945-4810 Fax: (1) 716-945-1531 Attn: Mr. Reinier Taapken.

Email: reiniertaapken@salamancalumber.com

Photos By Todd Lussier

April/May 2012 Page 7

Page 8 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Quality & Just In Time

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New Markets Discussed For U.S. Lumber Exporting

Craig Larson, president of the Softwood Export Council

123.5 million in 2011 up from 112.2million in 2010. As for the MiddleEast, Larson pointed out there is a$5 million market possibility in soft-woods for this region. He indicatedthe Dubai Wood Show, which takesplace in September of 2012, as akey source for leads. According toSEC, 90 trade leads were generat-ed from the 2011 show. International travel was mentionedduring the webinar as being ‘key’ inpromoting export/import of U.S.wood. The SEC offers assistancein this area regarding travelarrangements, planning side tripsand schedules.The following trade shows arescheduled in 2012:• Provimeuble—Mexico• India Wood—Bangalore• KH Housing—Seoul• Interzum Guangzhou—China• Dubai Wood—UAE• Carrefour du Bois—France• Design Build—Sydney• Techno Meuble--Guadalajara• Japan Home Show—Japan• Timber Expo—United Kingdom• Furniture MC—Shanghai• MTC-Kuala Lumpur• U.S. China Build—China

About NAWLA and SEC

The North American WholesaleLumber Association (NAWLA) iscomprised of 500 companies dedi-cated to efficient distribution oflumber products and the responsi-ble stewardship of forestresources. NAWLA representswholesalers, manufacturers, andservice provider companiesthroughout the distribution supplychain. Founded in 1893, it is one ofthe oldest lumber associations inNorth America. Through its mem-bership in both the SoftwoodExport Council and the AmericanHardwood Export Council, it pro-vides its members opportunitiesand information on expanding theirmarkets overseas.For more information on theSoftwood Export Council, pleasevisit www.softwood.org.

•

Portland, Oregon—Is 2012 the year youstart exporting? That’s the question theSoftwood Export Council and the NorthAmerican Wholesale Lumber Association(NAWLA) addressed during a recent webinar. According to NAWLA, while the NorthAmerican housing market continues to showsigns of improvement, experts estimate hous-ing starts will not return to the 1 million markuntil 2015. Until that time, many sources in theU.S. lumber industry are turning to both tradi-tional and new overseas markets. These markets are both short term, long-termand vary with the world and regionaleconomies. Housing starts in Japan were pre-dicted to reach 850,000 in 2011 and morethan 450,000 single family units would bewood frame, about equal to U.S. production.China is coming down from a superheated2011 buying spree, but over the long-termshould continue to be a large user of softwoodproducts. Other markets are also adjusting tothe local economies.Craig Larsen, president of the SoftwoodExport Council (SEC), addressed the followingkey issues during the webinar:• What international markets are likely tobe long-term buyers of North American

wood?• What kinds of softwood lumber products areused in international markets?• Why do you have to think outside the box if you

really do want to succeed in overseas markets?Larsen, who noted that exports of U.S. wood haveincreased from $843 million in 2010 to an estimated$1 billion in 2011, presented timetables and graphs.China absorbed most of that total with Canada fol-lowing behind. Broken down into species, Douglasand Hemlock Fir were top sellers with Sitka Spruceand Western Red Cedar coming in last. Larson also pointed out that the housing market isadjusting to new long-term levels, from 1.06 million in2007, down to 788,000 in 2009 and back up again to813,000 and 825,000 respectively in 2010 and 2011.The estimated U.S. housing starts in 2012 arebetween 850,000 to 900,000.As for the target markets for U.S. wood, Japan,China, Europe and Mexico were the primary marketsmentioned along with 20 countries in the Middle East. Japan’s devastating 2011 Tohoku earthquake andtsunami resulted in massive reconstruction demand.As for China, lumber imports raised from .35 millionm3 in 2010 to .586 million m3 in 2011. Europe’s fig-ures were mixed, with 2009 accounting for 28.7 mil-lion imported woods, up to 32.1 million in 2010, andback down to 29.6 million in 2011. Mexico totaled

April/May 2012 Page 9

Kuehne + Nagel Ltd. sponsored the lunch.The program commenced with a lunch, fol-lowed by afternoon speakers, which includ-ed Simon Boisvert, the dynamic Quebec-based scout for the Cape BretonScreaming Eagles of the Quebec MajorJunior Hockey League. He spoke about hissuccess as a scout, and his “new” ideasabout team-building in hockey and howthese concepts easily translate to businesswith regard to hiring, promotions, identify-ing leaders and “making it work.” In thespirit of the recent “Moneyball” movie,Boisvert provided his thoughts on new,non-standard ideas towards managingpeople as well as ideas for improvementand new sales ideas. Sepp Gmeiner spoke about wood clustersand the unique work being done with theBlue Water Wood Alliance in the GreyBruce area of Ontario. His presentation isavailable on the CHB website.The event wrapped up with a breakfastpresentation by Scott Wilson, NagelOptimization (SEO). Profit Magazine rankshim as an essential speaker and resourcefor CEO’s. His dynamic presentation pro-vided practical proven strategies forincreasing sales and winning new cus-tomers, with a focus on the financial pay-back of web sales. A sold-out hardwood industry hockeygame added some fun and exercise to theprogram. This was the 14th year for thehockey game. CHB thanked Jean-PaulLupien, Produits Forestiers TLB Inc., for hiscontinued assistance in making the gamea big hit. Members enjoyed the friendlygame of hockey, pitting competitors on theKing City team against the M.E.C. team.According to player Jean-Paul Lupien,“The game went very well with very goodplayers and gentlemen having played toenjoy themselves with fair competition. Weorganized our first game back in 1998 andare looking forward to our 15th year in2013.” CHB congratulated Murillo Pelletier ofBegin et Begin, the winner of the early birddraw for two tickets to the MontrealCanadians-Dallas Stars game at the BellCentre.This CHB event is organized to providethose in the Canadian Hardwood Bureauwith the opportunity to get together, learnand network with others in the industry. For more information, email Brent Stief,Chairman, Canadian Hardwood Bureau atinfo@canadianhardwoodbureau.com. 130Albert Street, Suite 1208, Ottawa, Ont.,K1P 5G4 Tel: 613 567 9171, Fax : 613 5674664.

•

ASEAN - Continued from page 1

CHB - Continued from page 1

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Bernard Dompok. 80% of Malaysian fur-niture is exported to 160 countries, ofwhich 78% are wooden, and 32.6% of totalMalaysian exports are timber and timberproducts, he explained. Under the current national plan the timberindustry is expected to account for RM53billion (US$18 billion) by 2020, with furni-ture exports targeted by the government toachieve RM16 billion (US$5 billion). To thisend the government has planned to plant370,000 hectare of forests over the coming15 years. One small hall provided visitorswith an opportunity to review material sup-pliers for the furniture industry includingsolid wood and panel products. Howeverthe only hardwood supplier in the mainbody of the show, in centrally located Hall3 as usual, was the American HardwoodExport Council (AHEC), which reportedongoing interest in U.S. species.

Export Furniture Exhibition (EFE)Malaysia

Running almost concurrently with MIFF,the EFE show is seen as a competitor,organized by the Malaysian FurnitureEntrepreneurs Association (MFEA) onbehalf of the private sector. Its venue, theMalaysian Agro Exposition Park Serdang(MAEPS), just outside KL, is more easilynavigated by visitors than the Putra show,but presents the logistical challenges oftransferring by bus from some halls to oth-ers. It is understood, however that EFEmay possibly relocate to a new and muchneeded exhibition venue, currently underconstruction. The American HardwoodExport Council (AHEC) participated for thefirst time in the 8-year history of the showin the popular Hall 4, where the focus wason contemporary interior furniture.

International Furniture Fair Singapore(IFFS)

The show got off to a busy start for over512 exhibitors drawn from 26 countriesand from across Asia with particularly largegroups from China and Vietnam, the twogiants of Asian furniture manufacturing. Asthe most sophisticated event in the SEAsian round of furniture shows, IFFS con-tinues to introduce initiatives to ensure itsdevelopment and hold its position as thefurniture design hub that it has nowbecome. The centrally located Hall 3 wasdedicated to design as the main focus fordesign seminars, exhibits and events thatalso stretched across the city under thebanner of SingaPlural . The annual furni-ture design awards (FDA) catered for localstudents and international young design-ers, and this year included an award for thebest use of material won by wood. AHECwas one of several sponsors for the designinitiatives including the FDA and in thepavilion, where young designers weregiven the opportunity to display their work.This included an AHEC commission,undertaken by Indonesian designerJoshua Simandjuntak, who showed hiscontemporary Benoa chair in AmericanRed Oak.

International Furniture & Craft FairIndonesia (IFFINA)

This furniture show was quite different tothe preceding three in Southeast Asia. Itwas truly focused on sustainable materialsembraced by numerous companies butless international in several respects. Teak,as ever, dominated both the traditional andmodern collections and contemporarybamboo products were also more promi-

nent than previously. There was a dedicat-ed hall for rattan, a material that the furni-ture association ASMINDO is seeking toprotect from unstoppable competition bysynthetics. Impressive was the widespreadcreativity displayed, for which Indonesia isfamous among its devotees and nowneeds to internationalize more than ever.Encouraging was the exhibition of designsby young Indonesian designers shown out-side the main entrance hall. This included adisplay of past winners from the last twoIndonesian Furniture Design Competitionssponsored by the American HardwoodExport Council (AHEC), which also exhibit-ed within Hall A its fine array of Americanhardwood species. Alongside AHEC wasFrench Timber with five exporting mem-bers, and importers APP Timber with fiveof its overseas wood suppliers. In the samehall was Baillie Lumber from the USA, giv-ing visiting manufacturers a chance to talkimported wood. While imported speciesare still very much the exception inIndonesia there were some striking newdesigns shown by leading manufacturerKobeks with Black Walnut and AmericanCherry veneers. During this Jakarta event a seminar,Synergy of Designers and Furniture

Industry to Face Global MarketChallenges , was co-hosted by ASMINDOand AHEC with speakers Chriswell Davis,Kinney Chan and JirawatTangkijngamwong. It was opened with aninspiring speech by the Vice Minister forTrade, Bayu Krisna Murti, who talked aboutnew markets and the growing importanceof the domestic market in Indonesia nowwith US$1 trillion economy, number 16 in

the world and a member of the G20.Consumers easily get bored, he said andimplored Indonesian manufacturers and itsdesigners to know your markets. Vietnam International Furniture (VIFA)

This show continues to be small butdiverse with mainly contemporary furnitureon offer. It does not include many of themajor manufacturers, particularly theTaiwanese-owned companies such asGreen River, as well other significant com-panies such as: U.S.-owned StrickleyFurniture and British-managed Interwood.Although fewer than years ago, many ofthe exhibitors offered outdoor furniture asector of very limited interest to AHEC.However the interior furniture was predom-inantly American White Oak and RadiataPine from New Zealand as well as localplenty of Rubberwood and Acacia. AHEC continues to promote Americanhardwood species at VIFA as one of thetwo main display opportunities in Vietnamwith the next Vietnamwood being only inSept. 2013. AHEC also shows support forthe furniture association (Handicraft &Wood Industry Association-HAWA) withwhich it has worked for many years. Thai International Furniture Fair (TIFF)This show was described as small andbeautiful by some exhibitors but disap-pointing for its size and scope by severalvisitors who had travelled far from suchmarkets as the UK and Turkey to buy. Allagreed that it was design-led and wasimpressive to those who care about pro-moting the design capability that abounds

Continued on page 15

Page 10 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

WWPA PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

Jay Johnson and Mark Porter, Hampton Affiliates, Portland, Ore.; TomTemple, Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wash.; and Brad Turner and AlexRapoport, HALCO Software Systems, Vancouver, B.C.

Eric Schooler, Collins Companies, Portland, Ore.; Steve Zica, HamptonAffiliates, Portland, Ore.; Andrew Miller, Stimson Lumber Co., Portland,Ore.; and Thomas Lovelien, Boise Cascade LLC, Boise, Idaho

Craig Larsen, Softwood Export Council, Portland, Ore.; and Kevin andAdrian Binam, WWPA, Portland, Ore.

Art Andrews, Malheur Lumber Co., John Day, Ore.; David Gully, TaylorMachine Works Inc., Louisville, Miss.; and Gary and Pam Mathews,Hampton Lumber Mills, Cowlitz Div., Randle, Wash.

Natalie Macias, Craig Larsen and Ashlee Tibbets, Softwood ExportCouncil, Portland, Ore.

Cyndee Johnson, Roberts & Dybdahl Inc., Des Moines, Iowa; andHoward Zosel, Zosel Lumber Co., Oroville, Wash.

Jeff Falk, USNR, Woodland, Wash.; Sam Pope, USNR, Portland, Ore.;Terry Neal, ISIS Wood Product Solutions, Vancouver, B.C.; and ChrisBlomquist, USNR, Woodland, Wash.

George Emmerson, Sierra Pacific Industries, Redding, Calif.; JamieTrenter, Lumbermen’s Underwriting Alliance, Portland, Ore.; and ChuckRoady, F.H. Stoltze Land & Lumber Co., Columbia Falls, Mont.

John Dalke, Spearfish Forest Products Inc., Spearfish, S.D.; and JimMathews, WWPA, Portland, Ore.

Rick Palmiter, Idaho Forest Group, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and RickWilson and David Gully, Taylor Machine Works Inc., Louisville, Miss.

Tim Cornwell, BlueLinx Corp., Atlanta, Ga.; Ted Roberts, Roberts & DybdahlInc., Des Moines, Iowa; Christopher Bailey, Collins Companies, Portland, Ore.;Cyndee Johnson, Roberts & Dybdahl Inc.; and Kevin Cheung, WWPA,Portland, Ore.

Chuck Balsano, 84 Lumber Co., Eighty-Four, Pa.; and Duane Vaagen,Vaagen Bros. Lumber Inc., Colville, Wash.

Alex Rapoport, HALCO Software Systems Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.; LaurieCreech, Simpson Lumber Co. LLC, Tacoma, Wash.; and Scott Elston,Forest City Trading Group, Portland, Ore.

Steven Hofer, Interfor Pacific Inc., Bellingham, Wash.; Tom Temple,Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wash.; Craig Larsen, Softwood Export Council,Portland, Ore.; and Hector Dimas, Boise Cascade LLC, Boise, Idaho

Mark Denner, Rosboro LLC, Springfield, Ore.; and Laurie Creech,Simpson Lumber Co. LLC, Tacoma, Wash.

Duane Vaagen, Vaagen Bros. Lumber LLC, Colville, Wash.; Bob Mai,Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wash.; and Mark Porter, Hampton Affiliates,Portland, Ore.

Scott Elston, Forest City Trading Group, Portland, Ore.; and JimVandegrift, Bennett Lumber Products Inc., Princeton, Idaho

Additional photos on page 12

Tim Cornwell, BlueLinx Corp., Atlanta, Ga.; Erol Deren, Idaho Forest GroupLLC, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho; and Ted Roberts, Roberts & Dybdahl Inc., DesMoines, Iowa

April/May 2012 Page 11

Welcome to the New Southern Pine Global Website

Meet our Southern Yellow Pine Exporters

©Southern Forest Products Association Cooperator, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service

Promotional Partner, American Softwoods™

Almond Brothers Lumber Co.almondlumber.com

Anthony Forest Products Co.anthonyforest.com

Atlas Trading Internationalatlastradinginternational.com

Aveesa & Ezyan Ali Enterprises , Inc.uslogsandlumber.com

BCH Trading Companybch-trading.com

Blue Water Lumberbluewaterlumber.com

Bridgewell Resources, LLCbridgewellres.com

Cameron Lumber Companycameronlumber.com

Canadian Wood Productscanadianwood.ca

Cox Industries, Inc.coxwood.com

Durable Wood Products USA, Inc.durablewoods.com

Elof Hansson, Inc.elofhansson.com

Forest City Trading Groupfctg.com

Fortress Wood Productsfortresswood.com

FTI Americaftiamerica.com

Georgia-Pacific LLCgapac.com

Gulf South Forest Products, Inc.lumberexport.com

Hood Industrieshoodindustries.com

Klausner Trading USA, Inc.klausner-group.com

Klumb Lumber Companyklumblumber.com

KM China Properties Limitedkmlumber@yahoo.com

Lampe & Malphrus Lumber Co., Inc.jeffsales@mindspring.com

Mauvila Timber, LLCkeyportwarehousing.com

McShan Lumber Company, Inc.mcshanlumber.com

Mississippi Development Authoritymississippi.org

Natural Tradenatural-trade.net

Ontario Project Management, Ltd.opm.ltd@sympatico.ca

Patrick Lumber Companypatlbr.com

Putnam Lumber & Export Companyputnamlumber.com

Richmond International Forest Productsrifp.com

Robinson Lumber Companyroblumco.com

Shamrock Tradingshamrockbm.com

Southern USA Forest Group LLCsyplogs.com

Southmark Forest Productssouthmarkforest.com

Super Lumberwesellwood.com

Tampa International Forest Productstifp.com

Texas Forest Productstexasforestproducts.com

Thomasson Companythomassonlumber.com

Tradewinds International, Inc.tradewindsintl.com

Tolleson Lumber Companytollesonlumber.com

Tumac Lumber Companytumac.com

Vanport Internationalvanport-intl.com

Westervelt Lumberwesterveltlumber.com

West Fraser, Inc.westfraser.com

Page 12 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Jean-Pierre Fontenot and Courtney Atwood, Lumbermen’s UnderwritingAlliance, Portland, Ore.; Steve Lord, Lord Insurance, Eugene, Ore.; JamieTrenter and Jeff Romo, Lumbermen’s Underwriting Alliance, Portland, Ore.;and Wil Nance, Lumbermen’s Underwriting Alliance, Boca Raton, Fla.

Justin Chappell, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual Insurance Co.,Bend, Ore.; Tricia Kilrain, Pennsylvania Lumbermens Mutual InsuranceCo., Colorado Springs, Colo.; and Lynne and Wayne Miller,Import/Export Wood Purchasing News, Memphis, Tenn.

Allan and Judy Trinkwald, Simpson Lumber Co. LLC, Tacoma, Wash.; andDiane and Eric Schooler, Collins Companies, Portland, Ore.

Dave Williams, Champlain Hardwoods Inc., Essex Junction, Vt.; JeanBlondeau, Lumber Resources Inc., Drummondville, Que.; Chris Castano,Champlain Hardwoods Inc.; George Evarts, G. H. Evarts & Co. Inc., Springfield,N.H.; and Loren Voyer, Champlain Hardwoods Inc.

Richard Lipman, Canadian Hardwood Bureau, Ottawa, Ont.; Ted Bechamp,Scierie Waltham Inc., Waltham, Que.; and Richard Lavallee, Husky Lumber, Ste-Therese, Que.

Sebastien Morasse, Bois Nordex Inc., Ville-Marie, Que.; Annie Fournier,Preverco Sawmill, Daveluyville, Que.; Darren Lindsay, Empire Forest ProductsLtd.; Burlington, Ont.; and Sylvain Gerard, Interforest Lumber Inc.,Boucherville, Que.

Martin Deschenes, Lauzon, Papineauville, Que.; Marie-Eve Nadeau, LesProduits Forestiers Becesco Inc.,; Saint-Just-de-Brenteniéres, Quebec; PierreHamelin, Hub International (Quebec) Limitee, Montreal, Que.; and MarioChicoine, Arbotek, St-Just-de-Bretenieres, Que.

Mario Fortier, Scierie Bois St-Francois Inc., Que.; and Pierre Hamelin andJacques Gagnon, Hub International (Quebec) Limitee, Montreal, Que.

Loren Voyer, Champlain Hardwoods Inc., Essex Junction, Vt.; DarrenLindsay, Empire Forest Products Ltd., Burlington, Ont.; Art Nelson,Weston Premium Woods, Brampton, Ont.; and Mario Brunet,Nationwood, St-Andre-Avellin, Que.

Martin Deschenes, Lauzon, Papineauville, Que.; Annie Fournier andAlain Thibeault, Preverco Sawmill, Daveluyville, Que.; Marie-Eve Nadeau,Les Produits Forestiers Becesco Inc., Saint-Just-de-Brenteniéres,Quebec; Peter Duerden, U•C Coatings Corp., Buffalo, N.Y.; Hud Caldwell,Gutchess Lumber Co., Latrobe, Pa.; and Claude Cadrin, C.A. SpencerInc., Laval, Que.

Sepp Gmeiner, Blue Water Wood Alliance, Walkerton, Ont.; Jean-Paul Lupien,Produits Forestiers T.L.B. Inc., Lachenaie, Que.; Brent Stief, Huron ForestProducts Inc., Alliston, Ont.; Mark Barford, Executive Director, NHLA,Memphis, Tenn.; and Dave Redmond, President, NHLA, Augusta, Ga.

Luc Tremblay, Ecole de Foresterie Du Duchesnay, Quebec City, Que.; SergeRobichaud, C.A. Spencer Inc., Laval, Que.; Lloyd Lovett, King City/NorthwayForwarding, Montreal, Que.; and Jean Desilets, C.A. Spencer Inc.

Richard Lavallee, Husky Lumber, St-Therese, Que.; Jean-Paul Lupien, ProduitsForestiers T.L.B. Inc., Lachenaie, Que.; and Wayne Miller, Import/Export WoodPurchasing News, Memphis, Tenn.

WWPA PHOTOS - Continued from page 10

CHB PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

Additional photos on page 14

Corri and Ryan Land, Sierra Pacific Industries, Redding, Calif.; and Kip Burns,Kop-Coat Inc., Shelton, Wash.

Eric Vigneault and Yvon Millette, Vexco Inc., Plessisville, Que.; Michel Berard,King City/Northway Forwarding, Montreal, Que.; Jeff Poirier, BerkshireHardwoods Inc., Chesterfield, Mass.; and Tom Walthousen, National HardwoodLumber Association, Memphis, Tenn.

April/May 2012 Page 13

Page 14 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

CHB PHOTOS - Continued from page 12

ASEAN PHOTOS - Continued from page 1

Richard Keeso, J.H. Keeso & Sons Ltd., Listowel, Ont.; Kevin Gillette, RandellBowers, and Shawn Collins, Tioga Hardwoods Inc., Berkshire, N.Y.

David Murray, Del-Ray Marketing Inc., Mississauga, Ont.; Melissa Lemay, WoodManufacturing Council, Ottawa, Ont.; and Scott Wilson, RankHigher.ca.,Burlington, Ont.

Richard Laroque and Andrew Schafer, Cut Rite Lumber Ltd., Montreal, Que.;Ted Bechamp and Luc Fortin, Scierie Waltham Inc., Waltham, Que.; and BrianGuilbeault, Quality Hardwoods Ltd., Powassan, Ont.

Kenny Koh of Star Furniture Singapore with Michael Hermens of APPTimber at IFFS.

William Chu, State of North Carolina, John Chan, Sharon Shek and DiNguyen of AHEC at IFFINA.

French Timber suppliers at IFFINA Jakarta.

The APP Timber team at IFFINA Jakarta. Joe Phaneuf, Northeastern Loggers, at EFE in Malaysia.

Pictured is a New American Cherry piece exhibited by Kobeks duringthe Asean furniture shows recently.

Kobeks also displayed this new Walnut furnishing on the Asean furni-ture show circuit.

The King City hockey team, which played in conjunction with the CHB meeting, consisted of: (First row, from left) MartinVaillancourt, USNR, Plessisville, Que.; Claude Cadrin, C.A. Spencer, Laval, Que.; Patrice Carrier, HUB International,Montreal, Que.; Eric Porter, Abenaki Timber, Kingston, N.H.; Mario Brunet, Nationwood, St André Avelin, Que.; and TomWalthousen, NHLA, Memphis, Tenn.; (Second row, from left) Denis Maheu, Sigma, Trois Rivière, Que.; Xavier Robidas,Ass. Poducteurs Copeaux Quebec, Quebec, Que.; Daniel Hébert, Sèchoir St Roch, St RocH de L’Acigan, Que.; FredédricMalo, Armand Malo Inc., Ste Mélanie, Que.; Eric Vigneault, Vexco, Plessisville, Que.; Marc Olivier Laflamme, Boscus,Dorval, Que.; Christian Labbé, Canadian Wood Products, Montreal, Que.; and not pictured Jean Paul Lupien, TLBHardwood, Lachenaie, Que.

The M.E.C hockey team consisted of: (First row, from left) Dave Williams, Champlain Hardwood, Essex Junction, Vt.,Patrick Gagné, MES, Beloeil, Que.; Marc Legros, Plancher PG, St Edouard de Lotbinière, Que.; Brent Stief, HuronHardwood, Alliston,Ont.; and Richard Keeso, J.H. Keeso & Sons, Listowell, Ont.; (Second row, from left) Denis Daviault,PBF, Pévost, Que.; Sébastien Morasse, Nordex, Mont Laurier, Que.; Danis Houde, Plancher PG, St. Edouard deLotbinière, Que.; Jean Marc Ferland, Plancher Mirabel, Boucherville,Que.; Andre Warnet, Moulure 4 Dimension,Blianville, Que.; Peter Geiannoumes, King City Forwarding, Montréal, Que.; and Charles Pepin, Bois Poulin,Shawinigan, Que.

Judith Cefkin Deputy Chief of Mission US Embassy Thai DG for TradePromotion, Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, and John Chan, AHEC, at one of theAsean furniture shows.

Pictured at IFFINA for Baillie Lumber Co., located in Hamburg, N.Y., areSyahril Limyad, Amir Limyad and Phil Fenwick.

Page 15April/May 2012

in Thailand. Many of the exhibitors con-firmed that their collections were designedin-house by Thai staff. The show theme was Fill Green, FeelGood reflecting Thai attitudes to life andthe furniture industry’s approach to greenproduction technologies. AHEC, togetherwith the Thai Furniture Association (TFA)and funding from the U.S. GovernmentForeign Agricultural Service, hosted the4th American Hardwood Design Campaimed over the previous months at educat-ing students (seven teams) and young pro-fessional designers (four). The projectswere shown at the show on a dedicatedstand where the theme was Designing forSmall Spaces - very relevant in today’sworld of decreasing condo sizes. A lunchreception included the Thai DG for TradePromotion, Nuntawan Sakuntanaga,Deputy Chief of Mission U.S. Embassy,Judith Cefkin and John Chan, RegionalDirector AHEC. Cefkin welcomed the spon-sors, designers and media saying that thiswas a good example of U.S.-Thai cooper-ation with U.S. sustainable material andThai talent.

•

Providing Premium Hardwoods from Around the World

Atlanta, GAHuntersville, NC

Cleveland, GACrystal Spring, PA

Clarksville, TN

800-476-5393www.hardwoodweb.com

When you think of wood, think of us.

ASEAN - Continued from page 9

WWPA - Continued from page 1

WHO’S WHO - PryorContinued from page 2

WHO’S WHO - DupreyContinued from page 2

WHO’S WHO - HalseyContinued from page 2

WHO’S WHO - ShibleyContinued from page 2

window frames.Pryor has been with the company for 12years and in his current position for the past10. “When you find a good thing, you stickwith it,” he said.

Jannke noted that there are two mainareas of interest in regard to exports: Asiaand the Caribbean with mostly Pine ship-ping to the Carribean. He said exportshave picked up for Canada and the U.S. inChina, and that Canada is concerned thatthe U.S. share of exports to China is on theincrease. 90 perent of all exports isDouglas Fir.Michaelis addressed the attendeesregarding the economy and stated thathousing “is not in a recession. We’re in adepression.” He added that the inventory ofgrowing trees is growing dramatically.He predicts that the U.S. housing marketcould return to 1.5 million housing starts in2014 or 2015.In addition to expert speakers, the WWPAannual meeting provides members anopportunity to network and share marketinsight.For more information at the WWPA, goonline to www2.wwpa.org.

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ence and technology from the University ofMaine at Orono.Duprey and his wife, Alison, have twosons. In his spare time he enjoys hunting,fishing, golf, spending time with his familyand coaching his sons in sports.Hancock Lumber operates a diverse arrayof businesses: three state-of-the-artEastern White Pine sawmills that areForest Stewardship Council (FSC) andSustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certi-fied, 10 retail lumberyards in Maine andNew Hampshire and a land division with15,000 acres. The firm is a member of theNorth American Wholesale LumberAssociation and Northeast LumberManufacturers Association. For more infor-mation visit the company’s website atwww.hancocklumber.com.

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Patrick Lumber Co. is a member of theNational Hardwood Lumber Association(NHLA), Portland Wholesale LumberAssociation (PWLA) and the NorthAmerican Wholesale Lumber Association(NAWLA). For more information visitwww.patlbr.com.

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Lumber Co. for approximately 14 years andin his current position for the past nineyears. Previous positions include sales forDisdero Lumber, located in Portland, Ore.,and general manager of KD Cedar, locatedin Hayward, Calif. He began his career inthe forest products industry cruising timberon the Tule Indian Reservation in 1982.A graduate of Miramonte High School,based in Orinda, Calif., Halsey obtainedhis bachelor’s degree from Oregon StateUniversity, in Corvallis, Ore.He is a member of the North AmericanWholesale Lumber Association, Hoo HooInternational, and the Wilson BasketballAssociation. Halsey and his wife, Jan, havethree children. In his spare time he enjoyscoaching basketball and farming.

Craig Lumber located in Memphis, Tenn.,and plant manager for North Pacific, locat-ed in Portland, Ore.A graduate of the National HardwoodLumber Association Inspection School, hereceived an honorable discharge from theUnited States Marine Corp.He and his wife, Beth, have three children.In his spare time Shibley enjoys golf andwoodworking. For more information visitwww.dlh-usa.com.

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A graduate of Salamanca High School,Salamanca, N.Y., he obtained his bache-lor’s degree with a double major of interna-tional business and Spanish from GroveCity College, located in Grove City, Pa.In his spare time he enjoys traveling, com-petitive cycling, woodworking, camping,hiking, reading, canoeing, and playinggames with his kids.He and his wife, Michelle, have three chil-dren. For more information visitwww.BingamanLumber.com.

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Corrick, Boise Cascade; Pat Patranella,Temple Inland; Jim Rabe, Masonite; andDiana Blenkhorn for the Canadian WoodCouncil. The board of directors is nominat-ed and elected by AWC membership.“On behalf of all the members of AWC,

we’re pleased to have such experiencedboard representation,” said AWC PresidentRobert Glowinski. “We had many greatachievements in 2011 on building codes,standards, and sustainability efforts, aswell as on public policy issues on CapitolHill and in the states. We expect that withthis board’s leadership, we will continue togrow, prosper, and make a difference forthe wood products industry.”

Forest Groups Satisfied With SLA Extension

The Ontario Forest Industries Association

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(OFIA) and the Council of the QuebecForest Industry (QFIC) are satisfied withthe two-year extension of the Canada-U.S.Softwood Lumber Agreement (SLA),announced recently by Federal Minister ofForeign Affairs and International Trade(DFAIT), the Honorable Ed Fast. Thegroups also stated they are pleased thatissues raised by Central Canada's forestsector with DFAIT are reflected in theextension.“This endorsement of the extension by the

Central Canada Industries is based on cur-rent economic conditions which have, evenwithout the competitive constraints of theSLA, shuttered much production andreduced substantially Central Canada'sexport capacity,” said Mrs. Jamie Lim,President and CEO of the Ontario ForestIndustries Association (OFIA).”“This announcement removes an uncer-

tainty that hung over the forest sector. Itdoes not solve the problems of market oreconomic conditions, but at least our com-panies exporting softwood lumber to theUnited States are now aware of the rulesthat will apply until October 2015,” said M.André Tremblay, President and CEO of theCouncil of the Québec Forest Industry(QFIC).Canada's softwood lumber industry paid

an initiation fee of $1 billion for the SLA thatwas split with half going to the U.S. lumbercompanies and the rest used for joint NorthAmerican lumber initiatives. This initiationfee was paid despite a legal ruling thatwould have seen all duty deposits returnedto Canada. Lim and Tremblay concluded bystating, "The renewal of the Agreement on

Continued on page 16

Page 16 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News

Softwood Lumber until 2015 is good newsfor those Central Canada companies whocontinue to export lumber to the extent itprovides certainty around access to theU.S. market. Economic analysts forecast asteady and consistent growth in the U.S.home building sector and an increase inconsumption forecasted for 2013 shouldbenefit Central Canada companies.”

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process it into a product that the customercan introduce to their production immedi-ately. We save the waste over here insteadof shipping it overseas. We have ripping,gluing and chopping capabilities. We havea Gracon chop saw which is an optimizingsaw. We have moulding capabilities aswell. We have a Weinig moulder that we uti-lize. All of our equipment is state-of-the-art.“Kretz Lumber has made a commitment tocontinue to be in the export market longterm. We’re in it for the long haul,” he con-tinued. “We feel that export markets are thefuture and the commitment as a companypertains to both areas: our veneer divisionand our lumber division. As a whole ourcompany is committed to the export mar-ket.”Along with Kassis, key personnel include:Troy Brown, president; Dan Kretz, chair-man of the board; and Pete Hilgers, whooversees logs and veneer.Kretz currently operates 13 dry kilns, witha capacity in excess of 13 million boardfeet annually. Experienced kiln operatorsfollow time-tested schedules to producehigh quality lumber that, according to

breakfast with a Member of Congressallows you to have a personal conversationoutside of business hours. When you cansit down with a Senator over a cup of cof-fee, it is a much more effective way of mak-ing a personal case for you association’sissues.5. Make a difference – No matter the

size. IWPA’s PAC is small, at least bySuper Pac standards. We maintain a bal-ance of roughly $60,000 dollars andreceive / disburse about $25,000 a year.But looked at another way we are quitelarge. We only have approximately 100U.S.-based voting members. The percent-age of our members that contribute is quitelarge compared to other associations, andthe average amount our members person-ally give also blows away typical PAC met-rics. We use these contributions in a verytargeted way, maxing out our contributionsto key Members of Congress. So, with anarrow and clear focus, we keep the inter-national wood products industry front-and-center when Congress considers policiesthat can impact, or advance, our interests. PACs cannot stand alone, just as an asso-

ciation cannot stand alone. Working in con-cert with our members, our advocacy andour grassroots staff, and making sure ourPAC fits into a Board approved strategicplan ensures a PAC serves its associa-tion’s needs. So whether you are a mem-ber of IWPA or any other association with aPAC, remember to support the politicalactivities of your association. In an electionyear, associations will be more importantthan ever in making sure our member’s

4. Contributions = Conversation.Despite what you may read or hear, I canassure you that when our lobbyist attendsan event and presents a check to aCongressman, she isn’t buying a vote. Farfrom it. Congressmen raise millions of dol-lars every year and the idea that a checkfor one thousand dollars tempts someoneto vote against their constituents interestsjust simply isn’t true. Rather, it gets our lob-byist time with the Congressman. Membersof Congress are extremely busy people,and their staff is often just as booked. Sowhile meetings on the Hill are extremelyuseful, attending a fundraising dinner or

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KRETZ -Continued from page 4

AA CORP. -Continued from page 5

The construction division, AA Interiors,continues to expand its business to newregions across the globe.The main plant on a 28 acre site is onehour west of Saigon employing 1,000 peo-ple. Said Aaron Leri, Sales and MarketingDirector, “Our manufacturing facilitiesextend from wood processing to metal andupholstery, in which the company is now atthe top of its game.” In addition to interior fabrication work, AACorporation can provide a variety of furni-ture styles to customers through its manu-facturing division AAF. Exquisite furniture issupplied to both contract hotels and collec-tion customers throughout the world, mak-ing AA Corporation, a wholly-owned pri-vate company, a truly international enter-prise with sales of US$55 million. In theimmediate past the company has suppliedprojects in the USA, Caribbean, UK,Denmark, Ukraine, Egypt, India, Mauritius,the Gulf States and throughout Vietnam.One notable project was The Life Resort inDa Nang where AA supplied all the internaljoinery and furniture for rooms, shops,restaurants and villas, much of which wasin American Red Oak. Visitors to the newlyrenovated bar in Park Hyatt Hotel in Saigoncan enjoy the luxury of American BlackWalnut, designed by renowned SuperPotato of Japan, and furbished to a veryhigh standard by AA. Last year AACorporation in collaboration with its strate-gic partner Coast to Coast Designs wasawarded a contract to manufacture loosefurniture for the Sheraton BroadwayPlantation in Myrtle Beach, SouthCarolina, one mile from the ocean. Ownedby Starwood, the property was undergoinga full renovation and has new furniture forall of the luxury villas within the complex. Not only is AA Corporation experienced infurniture production, but has also beenoperating as one of the leading furnitureretail companies in Vietnam. The retail divi-sion AAD currently owns five major furni-ture brands within Vietnam, each of whichspecialize in providing high quality furnitureto Vietnamese consumers. With such avast experience in furniture design, deco-ration and production, AAD has continuedto expand its scope of sales, while continu-ing to incorporate more brands into AAD.Currently all five furniture brands NhaXinh, AA Decor, Bellavita, BoConcept andTeknion–are being sold throughoutVietnam and sales have continued tosteadily increase year on year.Because of its determination to achieveexcellence, the company is continuouslylooking to incorporate best practice into allAA organizations. AA Corporation is ISO9001:2000 Certified to ensure the qualityof its products and processes is consis-tently maintained, while also searching foradditional improvements to furtherenhance customer service abilities. Inaddition, AA has taken the necessarysteps to become CoC certified under theForest Stewardship Council (FSC) andplaces high priority in advocating greenpractices throughout the organization. To

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Kassis, is free of stain, sticker-shadow, andother drying concerns. The firm’s dry prod-ucts supply international and domestic dis-tribution yards, cabinetmakers, flooringmanufacturers, millwork producers, win-dow and door manufacturers, furnituremakers, and many other specialty markets.Kretz is known as an industry leader inmanufacturing green and kiln-dried lumber.The company’s off-site facilities providecustom sawing services for customers inspecialty markets. Their green productssupply concentration yards, pallet manu-facturers, sawdust processors, paper man-ufacturers, and landscapers.The operation exports from the ports ofNew York, Baltimore, Los Angeles orSeattle, depending on the products desti-nation.Among many awards, the firm was recog-nized by the Forest Stewardship Council in2001, an Outstanding Land StewardshipAward from Wisconsin State in 2004 andby the Wisconsin Govenor’s ExportAchievement Award in 2011.Kretz Lumber Co. is a member of theAmerican Hardwood Export Council,National Hardwood Lumber Association,and the Lake States Lumber Association.For more information visit www.kretzlum-ber.com.

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voices are heard amidst the din of elec-tions.

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