DHA eNews - Vietnamese Plywood Will Be Covered As Chinese Product
The U.S. Department of Commerce issued an affirmative preliminary determination in the ongoing scope proceeding about hardwood plywood antidumping and countervailing duty orders. This scope inquiry stemmed from an Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) allegation filed by Plywood Source against companies importing plywood from Vietnam Finewood.
Commerce found that two-ply panels are covered by the scope of the orders on hardwood plywood from China. Commerce also found that two-ply panels manufactured in China and finished in Vietnam by Vietnam Finewood were not substantially transformed in Vietnam.
In July, Vietnam's export revenue from wood products dropped 17.3% vs. the previous month. Export revenue in the first 15 days of August totaled $374.8 million, reaching only 45.5% of the revenue generated in the first 15 days of July.
U.S. hardwood lumber exports to India increased a "remarkable" 228% in the first half of 2021. Total exports of U.S. hardwood lumber to India reached $3.7 million, up from $615,000 in the first half of 2020.
The latest National Kitchen & Bath Association survey showed that sales of kitchen and bath cabinets grew an estimated 11% in the second quarter of this year. The downside: "80% of companies reported increasing labor rates to retain employees – with nearly two-thirds reporting increasing rates of as much as 19%."
Recent news that affects our industry includes:
- COVID-19 update: July's theme is relief
- Will the Delta variant disrupt the U.S. lumber supply again?
- COVID-19 rekindles debate over licensing requirements for many jobs
- Some more coronavirus humor
See the DHA coronavirus news and resources pages for more information.
This fall, LM Flooring will launch 55 new SKUs in the largest new product launch in the company's 20-year history. LM Flooring is owned by AHF Products and manufactures products at AHF Products' Sihanoukville, Cambodia factory.
Roseburg will invest millions of dollars in new technology in its western manufacturing operations after an extensive analysis of strategic business opportunities. As part of the restructuring, the company will close its particleboard plant in Dillard, Oregon, affecting 179 employees. Efforts are underway to employ the workers elsewhere in the company.
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The U.S. Forest Service recently awarded grants of more than $15 million to fund 60 projects. These grants will help develop and expand the use of wood products, strengthen emerging wood energy markets, and protect community forests. Matching funds and partner funds of $30 million bring the total to $45 million.
China has promised to plant nearly 9 million acres of new forest each year - an area larger than Belgium - from now through 2025 to combat climate change and protect natural habitats. The plan is described as "land greening" by China's State Forestry and Grasslands Commission.
A new study shows that tropical mountain forests in Africa store about 150 tons of carbon per hectare. This is significantly more carbon than previously thought and is more per unit area than the Amazon rainforest. However, nearly one million hectares of forest have been lost in the region in the past 20 years.
Researchers in Brazil report that deforestation of the Amazon, in the 12 months from July 2020 through June 2021, reached the highest level in a decade. In July 2021 alone, the amount of deforestation in the Amazon was larger than the area of the city of Sao Paulo.
A breakthrough by scientist Jiaying Li, who is working with the Dutch Advanced Research Centre Chemical Building Blocks Consortium in collaboration with the University of Twente, Wageningen University, BASF, and AkzoNobel may lay the groundwork for using wood waste to make packaging for foods from potato chips to coffee. The team seeks to create a new recyclable coating to replace the metalized packaging currently used.
What and where is the tallest native hardwood tree in North America?