NEWS

U.S. manufacturers added workers in August, slowing but extending the 41,000 gain in employment in July. The labor market remains well below its pre-COVID-19 pace, with manufacturing employment down 720,000 since February. However, the hardwood plywood sector saw a net overall gain of 1% as well as a 4% gain in full-time hourly employees that offset a loss of salaried jobs.

Resource:

The 2020 Veneer Tech Craftsman's Challenge grand prize of $3,000 was awarded to Patrice Lejeune whose piece, "Treasure Box III," is an exquisite example of French marquetry as practiced during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Resource:

Woodworking Network: Stunning veneer work wins awards

Photo © Patrice Lejeune

The U.S. is no longer China's largest supplier of hardwood logs. China's global imports of hardwood logs fell 17% in the first half of 2020. The country's global imports of softwood logs fell 16%, accounting for 72% of the national total.

Resource:

Global Wood Markets Info: China’s imports of logs crash in the first half of the year

U.S. imports of hardwood plywood from China have plummeted from 1.370 billion square feet in 2017 to 139 million square feet in the last 12 months. In that time, imports from Vietnam have surged from 30 million square feet in 2017 to 546 million square feet in the last 12 months; imports from Indonesia jumped from 361 million square feet to 541 million square feet.

The World Trade Organization found that virtually every reason given by the U.S. for imposing countervailing duties on imports of softwood lumber from Canada was unfounded.

Resource: