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Events

AHEC to tap GCC timber demand at WoodShow

01 March 2013

THE American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry, aims to capitalise on the increasing demand for timber in the GCC by participating in the eighth edition of the Dubai International Wood and Wood Machinery Show (Dubai WoodShow), next month.

The show, which will be held from April 9 to 11 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre (DICEC) in Dubai, UAE, will see the participation of 19 US hardwood lumber and veneer exporters under the banner of the American Hardwood Pavilion.

The pavilion, which will occupy 216 sq m of space at the show, will serve to highlight the variety of American hardwood species while also throwing the spotlight on the benefits of the value-added processes undertaken to supply such a high-quality and high-yielding raw material.

According to Roderick Wiles, AHEC director for Africa, Middle East, India and Oceania, the growing interest in American hardwoods has bolstered US hardwood exporters to become increasingly active in the wood and wood processing market in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. Wiles added that the GCC, and most particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, have now become key destinations for many key timber supplying countries and feature among their top 10 or even five export trade partners.

“Participating at key events like the Dubai WoodShow or holding lumber grading workshops or design seminars has given us the opportunity to share the comparative benefits of US hardwoods,” Wiles said.

The WoodShow will showcase a wide variety of products ranging from timber, hardwood and plywood to treatment products, spraying equipment and wood machineries. It will cater to producers, manufacturers, traders, suppliers and end-users in the wood industry chain.

More than 10,000 industry professionals are expected to attend the event. This year’s edition will be held on 16,000 sq m of exhibition space and will showcase more than 500 brands and exhibitors from across 40 countries. The show, organised by Strategic Marketing and Exhibitions, features a seminar in which architects, contractors, investors and developers will take part.