Import:Export Wood Purchasing News - August/September 2017

SYLVA WOOD - Continued from page 1
attended by visiting traders and buyers.
American, Russian, Malaysian and local wood distribution companies
were the leading groups
of exhibitors followed by
Scandinavian, European,
Australian and
Canadian suppliers to
the Chinese market.
Hardwoods, softwoods,
plywood and veneer
products were on display.
Many exhibitors
and visitors alike commented
that this is the
Pictured is a National Hardwood Lumber Association
lumber grading demonstration at Sylva Wood, led by Roman
Matyushenko, an inspector with the NHLA.
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Most prominent at
Sylva Wood 2017 was
the American hardwood pavilion strategically located at the main entrance
with three American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) staff from Washington,
DC, and four from Hong Kong, led by John Chan, AHEC’s regional
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director. Also well located was the American Softwood pavilion. Visiting
was Shawn Shen, marketing specialist at the U.S. Consulate General,
Agricultural Trade Offi ce in Chengdu.
Sylva Wood opened with a ceremony of short presentations and a
champagne toast
to a successful
event. Organizer
William Pang
thanked various
organizations for
their support and
welcomed the arrival
of a Russian
pavilion this year.
The many guests
of honor included
local dignitaries,
such as Mme.
Pictured is the American Softwoods group at Sylva Wood.
Vera Khmyrova,
Deputy Minister
for Chemical Engineering & Timber Processing in the Department of
Trade & Industry of the Russian Federation, Michael Snow, executive
director, AHEC, John Chan, AHEC’s regional director, Xu Fang, Chinabased
director of American Softwoods and Lorna Christie, executive
director of the National Hardwood
Lumber Association (NHLA).
As part of the two and a half day
event, a full program of seminars
was presented by experts on a
range of wood-related subjects as
well as hardwood grading demonstrations
by NHLA. An award ceremony
for furniture design, voted on
by visitors throughout the show, and
several specialist group activities
were also part of the program. CX
Joy, based in Qingdao, used Sylva
Wood as the venue to display 17
prototypes in various categories of
furniture, designed by students from
all over China, and all prototypes
were made in American hardwood
species.
Keynote speaker on the opening
day was Michael Snow who presented
data on American hardwood
trade with China and explained
some of the recent work by AHEC in
the fi eld of technology and innovation.
In particular Snow drew attention
to the importance of creating
strong demand for wood products
in order to ensure the incentive to
maintain all the world’s forests and
avoid their conversion to other uses,
such as palm oil plantations. He
also pointed out the environmental
benefi t of hardwood cross-laminated
timber insofar as it provides a new
structural use for lower grades that
otherwise might be wasted. On the
second day, Michael Buckley, international
wood industry consultant
from Singapore, provided detailed
insight into the use of “Oak in Architecture”
with technical information
on many Oak species, especially
the proven sustainability of American
Oaks. He then demonstrated
inspirational Oak projects from
around the world and concluded
with a case study (Portcullis House)
in which laminated White Oak had
Continued on page 28
Page 12 Import/Export Wood Purchasing News August/September 2017