Timber Design & Technology Middle East - September 2012

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


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


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,


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


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

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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.”


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.

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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


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


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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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.


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


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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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


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


• 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...


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


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

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MTCC AD 2012_Output2.pdf 2/2/12 11:51:37 AM


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.

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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


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

•••••••••


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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DESIGN & DéCOR

Sensory art installation in Turkey uses Accoya® wood

oVo lights up downtown Istanbul


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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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


PVs International outlines aggressive expansion plan for MENA regionLeading player confident of 50 percent growth in turnover for 2012

PROFILE

Image © PVS International


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

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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.


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TECHNOLOGY


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.


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


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 ©

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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


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


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.


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SHOWTIME


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


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.


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.


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


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


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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Timber Design & Technology Middle East - September 2012

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Transcript of Timber Design & Technology Middle East - September 2012