American Hardwood Supplement 2019
Published in collaboration with the American Hardwood Export Council, this publication brings to light the latest updates and activities of US hardwood suppliers within the South East Asia region.
Published in collaboration with the American Hardwood Export Council, this publication brings to light the latest updates and activities of US hardwood suppliers within the South East Asia region.
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AMERICAN HARDWOOD Southeast Asia <strong>Supplement</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />
Interview<br />
with<br />
Ted Rossi<br />
on Cherry<br />
Most observers of the hardwood business for furniture and interiors agree that this is partly a fashion business.<br />
Species come and go in popularity. The most extreme example was maple in Japan during the bowling alley craze,<br />
when importers airfreighted maple lumber from the USA to Japan. More recently <strong>American</strong> cherry has experienced<br />
cycles of demand, so we asked Mr Ted Rossi, a major cherry producer, to comment.<br />
Q: Ted, recently the cherry market has dipped in some Asian<br />
markets such as Vietnam – down 75% in 2018, although it<br />
still sells well in China, which took 87% of global exports in<br />
2018. Why do you think that is?<br />
A: That may be partly cultural, as Chinese people love<br />
the colour and sheen of cherry, and partly because cherry<br />
is very competitive at the moment. Perhaps cherry needs<br />
more promotion in markets like Vietnam where it is less<br />
familiar.<br />
Q: Ted, why do you think that cherry has such a turbulent<br />
time in overseas markets?<br />
A: Well cherry has always been popular in the U.S. domestic<br />
market, mainly because of its physical properties and<br />
characteristics, of colour, brightness, grain and finishing to a<br />
very fine surface. I call it ‘the Ferrari of <strong>American</strong> hardwoods’.<br />
But in overseas markets, it competes with tropical species of<br />
similar colour and so is very price sensitive.<br />
Q: Ted, the popularity of cherry stretches way back to the early<br />
European settlers who discovered this unique species (Prunus<br />
serotina) which is richer in colour than the European cherry<br />
they were used to. Has it always been popular in the USA?<br />
A: Yes, because woodworkers and furniture makers love it as a<br />
raw material.<br />
Q: Ted, you recently re-built your Emporium sawmill after a<br />
devastating fire. Why?<br />
A: Emporium is in the heart of Northwest Pennsylvania’s cherry<br />
forest resource, where we have traditionally specialized in cutting<br />
cherry sustainably for many years. We have no difficulty in<br />
buying local cherry of consistent colour and have no intention<br />
of stopping with such a good resource base.<br />
There is no doubt that when overseas consumers see <strong>American</strong><br />
cherry, which is rare these days other than in China, they will<br />
love it too.<br />
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