NEWS

Vietnam exported more than $7.3 billion of wood and wood-based products through August, up 9.6% compared to the first eight months of 2019. The government plans to reap $12.5 billion from exporting wood and wood products this year.

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Xinhua: Vietnam's wood, woodwork export up in 8 months

Decorative Hardwoods Association (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XIII, Issue XVII: Massive Shift In Source Of U.S. Imports Of Hardwood Plywood | WTO Sides With Canada On Softwood Lumber Trade Case | China's Imports Of U.S. Logs Plunge | Canada-Brazil Trade Talks Under Pressure

U.S. manufacturers added workers in August, slowing but extending the 41,000 gain in employment in July. The labor market remains well below its pre-COVID-19 pace, with manufacturing employment down 720,000 since February. However, the hardwood plywood sector saw a net overall gain of 1% as well as a 4% gain in full-time hourly employees that offset a loss of salaried jobs.

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The 2020 Veneer Tech Craftsman's Challenge grand prize of $3,000 was awarded to Patrice Lejeune whose piece, "Treasure Box III," is an exquisite example of French marquetry as practiced during the 17th and 18th centuries.

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Woodworking Network: Stunning veneer work wins awards

Photo © Patrice Lejeune

The U.S. is no longer China's largest supplier of hardwood logs. China's global imports of hardwood logs fell 17% in the first half of 2020. The country's global imports of softwood logs fell 16%, accounting for 72% of the national total.

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Global Wood Markets Info: China’s imports of logs crash in the first half of the year