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SFPA Lumber Shorts – Events

July 19, 2022
eNewsletter, Events

This week’s edition of Southern Forest Products Association Lumber Shorts  explores the Carrefour International du Bois Trade Show, Indiawood 2022 and AIA Conference on Architecture 2022 (A’22) in Chicago, IL. These events are important to the SFPA organization and beneficial to SFPA members. Take a look inside each of these events and look for future events to come.    

Carrefour International du Bois Trade Show

As post-pandemic economies continue to evolve, European, Middle Eastern and North African markets hold significant commercial opportunities for American softwood lumber and lumber products. Charles Trevor, SFPA’s European consultant, and a host of travelers representing American softwood lumber recently attended Carrefour International du Bois, the largest wood and wood products trade show in Europe. The show took place on June 1-3, 2022, in Nantes, France.

Events like Carrefour are critical to driving sales growth for American softwoods and other softwood products, including veneers. Our fast-growing and high-versatile species are in high demand throughout the European Union and the United Kingdom, with sales totaling $35.4 million in 2021 (up from $23.3 million in 2020). At the show, the American Softwoods delegation introduced (or reacquainted) the 14,000+ conference goers with the benefits of building with species like Southern Yellow Pine, earning 55 new contacts interested in exploring more.

The group saw great interest in American softwoods, with many seeking a replacement for Russian larch. With the ongoing war in Ukraine continuing to put pressure on Russian trade, American suppliers should consider this new business opportunity carefully. There is a place for Southern pine lumber in markets around the world – and meeting with buyers at large-scale events like Carrefour is a smart strategy for building relationships that transform into long-term contracts.

Indiawood 2022

In June, the SFPA, the Softwood Export Council and APA – the Engineered Wood Association, traveled to Bangalore, India for the 2022 Indiawood tradeshow. With a beautiful, custom-built stand using wood donated by Balaji Timber, an SFPA member, the American Softwoods (AMSO) group met with specifiers and generated over 200 inquiries throughout the show.

Considering that American softwood sales to India have declined significantly during the pandemic ($25.1M in 2019, $11.3M in 2020 and $4.8M in 2021), AMSO was pleased with the interest shown in Southern Yellow Pine and Douglas fir glulam and cross-laminated timber. Additionally, The level of knowledge of American softwoods in India has increased greatly, indicating that increased educational EMPs and seminars in the region have been extremely effective. Specifiers came to the booth requesting specific species and grades, further solidifying American softwoods’ position in Indian markets.

Indiawood 2024 is a must-attend show for SFPA members who sell in India. There’s no replacing face-to-face interaction for driving intent to specify American softwood and closing international deals.
AIA Conference on Architecture 2022

SFPA also attended the AIA Conference on Architecture 2022 (A’22) in Chicago this summer, where sustainability and tall wood construction dominated presentations and casual conversations alike. With new building codes allowing for more tall wood construction, architects and developers are eager to learn more about the species and wood products available today and the strategies for building a more sustainable future with wood.

SFPA executive director, Eric Gee, shared the benefits of Southern Yellow Pine throughout the duration of the conference. “These types of productive conversations are key to advancing the US lumber industry,” said Gee. “We’re seeing an increasing interest in southern forest products as the next generation of building professionals are inspired to think differently about using sustainable building materials.” SFPA’s online library of product support literature is available to assist users in understanding the design properties of Southern pine lumber and how best to specify the right grade and size for projects.
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