Newsletter - International

SFPA wrapped up this year’s schedule of webinars with Antigua and Curaçao in late October. Like elsewhere in the Caribbean, the U.S. has a dominant share of these markets but faces competition from alternative building materials such as concrete and steel. As seen throughout the Caribbean, the driving force behind this competition stems from a […]

In early October, American Softwoods representative, Charles Trevor, attended the International Softwood Conference (ISC) which was held online due to COVID-19. The International Softwoods Conference exists so that producers and users of wood and wood products can engage in dialogue on markets and resolve any bilateral issues. There were fewer presentations in this year’s conference […]

For the first time in over a decade, the U.S. has reached out to softwood markets in the British Virgin Islands and Dominica with a virtual educational seminar presented by SFPA in mid-September. The event is SFPA’s fourth webinar and follows successful webinars presented in Costa Rica, and Jamaica and the Dominican Republic earlier this […]

Dr. Bob Smith from the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech recently co-authored a book titled International Marketing Practices for Small to Medium Sized Forest Products Firms. with Dr. Omar Espinoza and Ms. Anna Pitti from the University of Minnesota. The book was written to assist forest products companies entering international markets or to […]

A new report details several Chinese projects that display innovative uses for Southern Pine lumber. Featured SYP projects include timber bridges, the Luhu Resort Hotel, and the Shanghai Poly Grand Theatre. In 2019, 13 timber bridges in Kunshan, Jiangsu Province were renovated using imported SYP lumber supplied by SFPA Manufacturer Member, Interfor. The stressed laminated […]

Despite COVID-19 travel and gathering restrictions, education and promotional efforts continued in July with a lumber training webinar targeting lumber traders and construction professionals in Costa Rica. This webinar was SFPA’s third educational event to follow the webinar format, after a successful series of webinars in Jamaica and the Dominican Republic in June. Costa Rica […]

In late August, American Softwoods representative Fernanda Vale presented a webinar at Expo CAMACOL. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, CAMACOL exhibitors (like American Softwoods) were given the opportunity to virtually present educational or technical seminars that were streamed through both the Expo CAMACOL platform and YouTube. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Mrs. Vale presented a 45-minute […]

In late June, SFPA conducted a pair of successful virtual training seminars targeting lumber traders and construction professionals in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica. The Dominican Republic and Jamaica are currently the two largest markets for Southern Pine lumber in the Caribbean. Although U.S. softwoods have long held a dominant share in these markets, their […]

American Softwoods conducted a series of trade services and seminars in Mexico in early March to educate importers, distributors, and design professionals regarding Southern Yellow Pine lumber, structural panels, and engineered wood products. Three cities were visited over the course of the trip: Mexico City, Veracruz, and Monterrey. Seminars were conducted in all three cities […]

In late February, Fernanda Vale, Director of the American Softwoods Mexico Office, attended the IMEXFOR meeting in Guadalajara, Mexico. To increase member participation, IMEXFOR took place at the same time as the Expo Mueble Internacional tradeshow winter edition, which was also located Guadalajara. Topics covered during the meeting included the effects of COVID-19 on the […]