NEWS

An important part of DHA's mission is promoting beautiful decorative hardwood products and making sure customers know where to buy them. I’m happy to announce that the 2023 Where to Buy directory is now available—download your free copy today. Last year, the DHA Where to Buy was downloaded more than 9,000 times.

Unfair trade practices continue to impact our industry and our customers early this year. KCMA recently reported a win against cabinet imports from Malaysia that are evading duties. KCMA also reported that sales of cabinets by volume were down by 1% in 2022.

Trade will be a hot topic at DHA's 2023 Annual Meeting in Clearwater, FL, May 24-26. Save the date! Registration will open on February 23. We'll send the link to register in our next newsletter.

If you have questions or comments, contact me. I look forward to hearing from you.

Keith A. Christman, President
Decorative Hardwoods Association

U.S. Customs has determined that Valleywood Cabinetry evaded antidumping and countervailing duties on wooden cabinets, vanities, and components from China. Evidence shows that the company imported Chinese-made cabinets and vanities into the U.S. but declared the country of origin as Malaysia.

Cabinet manufacturers reported an increase in total cabinet sales of 16.4% in value in 2022. Custom sales alone grew by 17.8%. Total volume, however, was down slightly, by 1%. In December, the value of cabinet sales increased by 9.7% vs. one year ago.

This week, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service approved the Lake States Region Bat Habitat Conservation Plans for Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. The plans provide a framework to protect the northern long-eared bat while allowing forest management activities through incidental take permits. The plans will go into effect when the bat is recognized as endangered on March 31.

Find out what's new in this year's guide to reputable manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of decorative hardwoods. Download your copy of the Decorative Hardwoods Association 2023 Where to Buy Membership Directory today!

The American Hardwood Export Council has announced a series of events designed to help manufacturers export more hardwoods. DHA members and other U.S. manufacturers can participate in AHEC-sponsored events to cost-effectively promote their products around the world. 

The U.S. Forest Service is accepting applications for grants worth $41 million to spark innovation and create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy. The deadline to apply for funds through the 2023 Wood Innovations Grant and 2023 Community Wood Grant is Thursday, March 23.

Experts predict that the global plywood market will reach $73.3 billion by 2027, with 58.3% of worldwide growth coming from China, India, the U.S., and Indonesia. They expect the fastest growth from hardwood plywood.

Canada's wood products manufacturing output has nearly doubled, growing from about $10 billion in 2016 to nearly $20 billion in 2021. The wood products, logging, and pulp and paper industries contributed nearly $35 billion to the country's GDP in 2021.

Hardwoods, particularly oak, are commanding high prices in recent auctions in Germany. Prices are higher this year even though some of the wood is of lower quality due to damage from drought and heat. 

OSHA has revised its National Emphasis Program on combustible dust to include cut stock, resawed lumber, and planing. The purpose of the revised emphasis program is to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fires and explosions.

The U.S. Forest Service has reinstated the 2001 roadless rule in Alaska's Tongass National Forest that effectively prohibits timber harvesting and road construction within designated areas. Governor Dunleavy said the decision is a major loss for Alaskans.

The withdrawal of foreign companies from Russia in 2022—and the sales of their manufacturing facilities—may lead to a shortage of some timber products. Expect the quality of these products to decline, too, as the supply of Western-made components has largely stopped.

IKEA stopped sourcing wood from Russia and Belarus after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Instead, IKEA is importing more wood from Sweden, Poland, and Lithuania.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced expanded efforts to cut wildfire risk across the western U.S., including funding designed to protect at-risk communities and critical infrastructure across 11 additional landscapes in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington.

After several mills announced temporary layoffs, British Columbia announced additional support for its forest industry. 10% of the timber supply will be set aside for manufacturing companies that don't have direct access to their own supply of timber.

JP Morgan just spent $500 million to buy 250,000 acres of timberland in the Southeast. The company said that "the properties will be managed for both carbon capture and timber production to meet the growing demand for sustainable building products and other uses."

California has lost nearly 7% of its tree cover since 1985. That's more than 1,700 square miles, an area larger than Yosemite National Park.

A study by North Carolina State University predicts that under severe climate warming, the U.S. could lose as much as 23% of its trees by 2100, with the largest losses across the South.

How old is the oldest tree in eastern North America and what species is it?