DHA eNews - U.S. Opens Investigation Into Vietnam's Trade Practices
The U.S. Trade Representative initiated an investigation into Vietnam's trade practices on October 2. The USTR will look into two issues: how Vietnam has imported and used timber, which the USTR says was illegally harvested and traded, and whether Vietnam has undervalued its currency, making its products unfairly cheap abroad.
DHA President Kip Howlett addressed the U.S. International Trade Commission on October 6. He emphasized four key points about how U.S. trade agreements have affected the hardwood plywood, flooring, and wood products industries.
The U.S. has appealed the ruling of a WTO panel in August that stated that U.S. duties on Canadian softwood lumber broke global trading rules. "This flawed report confirms [that] ... the WTO dispute settlement system is being used to shield non-market practices and harm U.S. interests," said U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.
The Dutch government ordered a Dutch company to stop all imports of tropical-faced plywood from Jiangsu High Hope Arser, one of the largest plywood exporters in China. The Environmental Investigation Agency writes, "This decision sets an important precedent in the effort to protect European markets from the import of illegal and high-risk tropical timber hidden behind complex supply chains."
On September 30, Russian President Vladimir Putin pushed for a ban on the export of all untrimmed conifer and certain hardwood timber, beginning in 2022. Putin stated that this is necessary for "getting rid of the criminal component of the forest business and securing more comfortable work for responsible enterprises."
Recent updates and information about our industry include:
- The fate of Oregon's timber industry hangs in the balance
- How COVID-19 will affect the global finished wood products market through 2027
- Some light COVID-19 humor
For more stories and the latest event changes and cancelations, see the DHA coronavirus news and resources pages.
Wood has long been used in kitchens. Now, architects and designers are reimagining the use of wood throughout kitchens in both subtle and bold ways. Get inspired by photos of seven unique designs.
Transparent wood material was developed by the Forest Products Laboratory in collaboration with the University of Maryland and the University of Colorado. The USDA claims it can outperform glass.
Roseburg Forest Products announced that Kara Herron has joined the company as strategic marketing manager and that Matthew Sally has been promoted to supply chain and logistics manager for the eastern region.
Source: Roseburg
John Prince passed away on August 29 at 95 years of age. John served as president of DHA (then, the Hardwood Plywood Manufacturers Association) from 1963-1964 and continued to serve on our board of directors, representing Georgia-Pacific, for decades. He was made a lifetime member of DHA in honor of his 29 years of service to the organization.
Decorative Hardwoods Association is one of the 27 founding members of the Real American Hardwood Coalition. The organization's primary goals are to grow markets, enhance consumer perceptions, generate new products, and improve industry stability.
Everything you need to know to be a better salesperson or a savvy buyer: our grading workshops are the only comprehensive course on decorative hardwood plywood. Our new grading webinars include product construction, standards, species, grades, and much more.
The claim that 2020 is one of the worst years for wildfires is not true. If all available data is examined, the yearly averages between 1926 and 1952 were several times higher than the peaks of today.
The wildfires ravaging the West Coast have renewed a debate in Oregon and Northern California over protections for the northern spotted owl. Some claim that preventing logging was a mistake, as thinned-out forests would have made the fires less destructive.
NASF supports the "Emergency Wildfire and Public Safety Act of 2020," a bipartisan bill designed to streamline collaborative wildfire risk reduction projects and accelerate forest management near existing roads, trails, and transportation lines.
Due to the climate crisis, much of the Amazon rainforest could be close to switching from rainforest to savannah, researchers say. Fires and extended droughts can cause tree loss in rainforests and a subsequent shift to a savannah-like mix of woodland and grassland.