NEWS

The EPA announced that it may add formaldehyde to a list that allows the agency to more carefully monitor and restrict its use, after a conflict between the EPA and the House Science, Space and Technology Committee. The House committee subpoenaed the EPA over potential conflicts of interest.

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Columbia Forest Products has sold its Cabinotch Division to Cabaxis, an affiliate of Phillip Crabtree, the creator of the cabinet box system. Greg Pray, Columbia's president and CEO, said that "the persistence of unfairly-traded imports - both cabinetry and hardwood plywood products - has impacted a wide spectrum of wood industry markets."

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Vietnam has ordered their trade, finance, and public security ministries to take urgent measures to fight origin fraud and illegal transshipment, according to a government resolution. Vietnam's 2019 wood exports are expected to total $11.5 billion, significantly higher than the $10.5 billion target - and 20% increase - set by the industry.

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U.S. imports of hardwood plywood from January - October 2019 are 7% lower than in 2018, despite an increase of 18% in October. Imports from Russia alone grew 39% in October. Imports from both China and Indonesian fell in October and are down 52% and 29%, respectively, from January - October.

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Two Chinese manufacturers and a U.S. importer are challenging the Commerce Department decision that expanded the scope of products subject to antidumping and countervailing duties on plywood imported from China. The contested products are plywood with face and back veneers of radiata or agathis pine.

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