Headlines
Brazilian Cultivated Tree Sector Surpasses 10 Million Hectares
BRAZIL - According to the latest Ibá (Brazilian Tree Industry) Annual Report, the cultivated tree sector in Brazil has surpassed 10 million hectares for the first time. These trees produce renewable, biodegradable, and recyclable bioproducts for over 2 billion people...
Ikea Opens Its Third Store in Colombia
COLOMBIA - Ikea has opened a new store in Medellín, continuing its regional expansion plan in partnership with Falabella. This new location, at the Viva Envigado shopping center, spans 18,000 square meters, with 12,200 square meters dedicated to sales. Customers can...
Wilsonart Releases Its 2023 Sustainability Report
USA - Wilsonart, a world-leading engineered surfaces company, recently announced the release of its 2023 Sustainability Report. This report, now available on the company’s website, highlights Wilsonart’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and transparency in its...
Koelnmesse Cancels imm cologne 2025 Trade Show
GERMANY - imm cologne 2025 programed for January has been canceled. Koelnmesse, in collaboration with the Association of the German Furniture Industry (VDM) and the Furniture and Kitchens Trade Association (BVDM), made this decision due to significant economic...
Mixed Trends in Regional Particleboard Imports in 6M-2024
COLOMBIA - In the first half of 2024 (6M-2024), particleboard imports in Latin America demonstrated varied trends across different countries. The total imports in the region amounted to USD 266.3 million, showing a slight decline of 2.6% compared to USD 273.5 million...
Digital Innovation in European Furniture Manufacturing
ITALY - A recent article by CSIL Market Research highlights that the European furniture industry is in the early stages of digital transformation, with only a few leading manufacturers fully integrating digitalization into their processes. CSIL’s research shows that...
LIGNA 2025: Circular Transformation in Wood Processing
GERMANY - A new format debuts at LIGNA’s anniversary edition in 2025: LIGNA.Circular. From May 26 to 30, 2025, Hall 12 at the Hannover Fairground in Germany will spotlight a pressing topic for the woodworking industry: circular transformation in wood processing. Under...
Novopan Takes First Place for Industrialized Goods Exporting
ECUADOR - Due to its pioneering work in the export industry, Novopan was awarded first place in the "Large Exporting Company of Industrialized Goods" category at PremioeXpor 2024, organized by the Ecuadorian Federation of Exporters (Fedexpor). Ignacio Bustamante, CEO...
SCM Inaugurates New Subsidiary in Slovenia
SLOVENIA - SCM has inaugurated its new subsidiary, SCM Adria, in Slovenia, aimed at providing specialized sales and service support to woodworking businesses in Slovenia and Serbia. The opening ceremony on September 26 featured local dignitaries, highlighting the...
Top Ecuadorian companies’ sales and profits fall in 2023
ECUADOR - The main companies in Ecuador´s wood and furniture sector experienced a decline in sales and profits in 2023 compared to the previous year. Total sales among the main companies in this sector amounted to USD 410.2 million, a decrease of 3.4% from USD 424.8...
FSC Appoints Dr. Subhra Bhattacharjee as New Director General
GERMANY - The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) International Board of Directors has appointed Dr. Subhra Bhattacharjee as the new Director General, effective October 1, 2024. With over 20 years of experience in public policy, climate change, and sustainable...
Over 2,000 Visitors Experience Latest Trends at Homag Treff 2024
GERMANY - Under the motto "Where sawdust flies and inspiration lands," Homag Treff 2024 attracted over 2,000 visitors from more than 30 countries. After a six-year hiatus, the renowned in-house exhibition took place simultaneously at two southern German...
Current
European Associations Call for Delay in EUDR Implementation
BELGIUM - On September 25, 2024, 29 European associations, including the European Panel Federation (EPF), the European Confederation of Woodworking Industries (CEI-Bois), and the European Timber Trade Federation, released a joint statement urging a delay in the...
VDMA Lowers 2024 Woodworking Machinery Forecast
GERMANY – VDMA (German Machinery and Equipment Manufacturers Association) Woodworking Machinery has retracted its forecast for 2024, expecting a 15% decline in production, down to EUR 3.6 billion in Germany. This follows a record EUR 4.2 billion in 2023. With 3,600...
Mixed Latam Plywood Imports Growth in 2023
COLOMBIA - Plywood imports in Latin America during 2023 have shown a mixed picture. Despite a slight decline in overall imports compared to 2022, some countries have experienced significant changes in their figures. According to data from Sisduan, total plywood...
Brazil Calls for EU to Reevaluate Deforestation Import Ban
BRAZIL – Brazil government authorities urge the European Commission to reconsider its anti-deforestation rules, which could impact its exports by nearly USD 15 billion. The EU's 2022 legislation bans imports from deforested areas after 2022, effective December 30,...
Mixed Results for Italy’s Wood-Furniture Sector in First Half of 2024
ITALY - The Italian wood-furniture sector has had a challenging start to the year, experiencing a sales contraction of 5.2% in the first half (6M-2024), affecting both the domestic market (6.0%) and the export market (4.1%). However, forecasts for the remainder of...
Spanish Particleboard Exports to LATAM Up 58.8% in 6M-2024
SPAIN - From January to July 2024, Spain has seen a general increase in particleboard / MDP exports, reaching a total of USD 76.5 million, a 58.8% rise from USD 48.2 million in 6M-2023. Among the countries showing the most significant improvements compared to last...
Colombian Wooden Furniture Exports Up 4.1% in 7M-2024
COLOMBIA - Colombia's wooden furniture exports have shown a slight increase from January to July 2024, rising by 4.1% to reach USD 34.99 million compared to USD 33.62 million during the same period in 2023. This growth is attributed to notable increases in exports to...