Total exports of U.S. hardwood lumber and veneer to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region reached a record USD 108.93 million for the year 2014, according to the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry. The statistics, which have been compiled from the latest data released by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), reveal an overall 20 percent increase over 2013 figures. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Dubai WoodShow, which ran from April 14 – 16, 2015, and where AHEC hosted the largest ever American Hardwood Pavilion, featuring twenty-one U.S. hardwood lumber and veneer exporters. Further, AHEC is also talking to the Turkish Timber Association (UAB) with regards to hosting a seminar for importers, specifiers and manufacturers in Istanbul later this year.
According to the data released, exports of American hardwood lumber reached a value of USD 79.07 million and a volume of 98,425 cubic meters during 2014. This equates to an increase in value of 23 percent over 2013 and an increase in volume of 8 percent. Direct exports of U.S. hardwood veneers to the MENA region reached a total value of USD 29.86 million last year, rising by 12 percent from 2013. However, it is important to note that American hardwood veneers are also shipped to the region from European countries and China, while veneers are also produced in the region – notably in Turkey – from imported American hardwood logs. U.S. hardwood log exports to the MENA region reached a total volume of 34,957 cubic meters and a value of USD 20.47 million in 2014.
Commenting on the record exports to the region, Roderick Wiles, AHEC Director for Africa, Middle East, South Asia and Oceania, said: “The most significant increases in shipments of U.S. hardwood lumber were seen in the United Arab Emirates (up by 48 percent to 15,723 cubic meters), Egypt (up by 22 percent to 11,614 cubic meters), Jordan (up by 18 percent to 5,949 cubic meters), Lebanon (up by 23 percent to 4,735 cubic meters), Qatar (up by 55 percent to 3,015 cubic meters) and Morocco (up by 31 per cent to 2,329 cubic meters). However, a marginal downturn in volume of only 2 percent was seen in shipments to Turkey, which reached 12,700 cubic meters and a slight downturn was seen in shipments to Saudi Arabia, which reached 10,513 cubic meters.”
In terms of species, shipments of red oak lumber to the MENA region reached a volume of 33,578 cubic meters during 2014 and accounted for 34 percent of the total volume of U.S. hardwood lumber exported. However, this share of the total is much less than it has been in previous years and this is because higher volumes of ash, white oak and tulipwood are being shipped to the region, in line with global trends. The volume of ash lumber exported reached 20,885 cubic meters, with around half of this total (10,247 cubic meters) being shipped to Pakistan and around half of the remainder (4,992 cubic meters) being shipped to Turkey, mainly for the production of thermally-modified decking and cladding. White oak lumber exports to the MENA region last year reached 16,023 cubic meters, rising from 11,846 cubic meters in 2013.
“The Middle East as a whole has shown considerable interest in American hardwoods ever since AHEC launched its market development program in the region back in 1999. That interest has been translated in to solid growth in imports of American hardwood lumber and veneer, with a rise of 80 percent in the value of imports during the past five years alone,” added Wiles. “Our participation at the Dubai WoodShow allowed us to highlight the variety of American hardwood species while also throwing the spotlight on the benefits of the value-added processes undertaken to supply such a high quality and high yielding kiln-dried raw material. Looking ahead, we are positive of even more growth given that architects and designers in the Middle East have embraced the purity and natural appeal of timber across a wealth of recent projects, both within the region and internationally.”
AHEC, together with the Hardwood States Export Group (HSEG), hosted an American Hardwood Pavilion comprising individual booths for U.S. hardwood exporters. Participating companies included Northwest Hardwoods, Wheeland Lumber, Kretz Lumber, Missouri Walnut, CLC Hardwoods, Snowbelt Hardwoods, MacDonald & Owen Lumber, Hanafee Brothers Sawmill, Atlantic Veneer, Nina Company, Midwest Hardwood, Mayfield Lumber, Northland Corporation, USA Hardwoods, Oaks Unlimited, American Lumber, Linden Lumber, Baillie Lumber, Cypress Creek Hardwoods, Allegheny Wood Products and Verde Wood International. Also present at the show were Dana Spessert, Chief Grading Inspector, National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) and Dr. Scott Bowe, Professor & Wood Products Specialist from the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology College of Agricultural and Life Sciences University of Wisconsin, USA.
“In addition to AHEC’s participation at the Dubai WoodShow, a lumber grading workshop was organized for a visiting delegation of timber importers and traders from Pakistan at the Murooj Rotana Hotel on April 13, 2015. The workshop was delivered by Dana Spessert, who provided an introduction to the NHLA rules for grading North American hardwood lumber. AHEC was also a co-sponsor of the ‘Talking Timber’ seminar and networking evening, which was held on the same day. At the seminar, Dr. Scott Bowe delivered a presentation on the U.S. hardwood forest resource, lumber production and kiln-drying, with some emphasis on the environmental credentials of American hardwoods to an audience comprising importers, end-users and specifiers,” concluded Wiles.
About AHEC:
The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) is the leading international trade association for the U.S. hardwood industry, representing the committed exporters among U.S. hardwood companies and all the major U.S. hardwood production trade associations. AHEC runs a worldwide programme to promote American hardwoods in over 50 export markets, concentrating on providing architects, specifiers, designers and end-users with technical information on the range of species, products and sources of supply. In addition, AHEC also produces a full range of technical publications. For more information, please visit: www.americanhardwood.org.
