ID :
90411
Wed, 11/18/2009 - 19:53
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/90411
The shortlink copeid
TIMBER LOSES MART SHARE ON WASTED ISSUE
FROM SITI HAWA OTHMAN
THE HAGUE, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Too much time and energy wasted on
sustainability issue had caused timber to lose its market share to other
competing building materials such as aluminium and PVC, a top Dutch official
said Tuesday.
Andre de Boer, who is Chief Executive Officer of Royal Netherlands Timber
Trade Association and Secretary-General of the European Timber Trade Federation
said importers will now work towards getting back the demand for timber.
"If we reach a level on sustainability, discussions should stop and
concentrate on promoting timber," he told a roundtable meeting between Dutch
timber importers and visiting Malaysian officials led by Plantation Industries
and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok held at the Malaysian Embassy here.
He said there was no other building material that had both the attributes of
being renewable and carbon neutral as timber.
This year, he said, the Dutch timber market saw a 25 per cent drop in
turnover with a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in staff employed by the industry
from last year.
The roundtable also deliberated on next year expected to be a difficult
year as 75 per cent of the members' turnover is based on new buildings and
houses though the renovation market will be quite stable.
They said it would be difficult to know what the market would be asking for
next year whether timber from the North or certified timber from sustainable
forests.
Despite the decline in demand for timber, de Boer said the market share for
certified timber has grown showing that there is future for such products.
"By December, we will hand over our agreement to use as much as possible
sustainable timber in our products. We ask other organisations which use timber
to join us. We try to look for as much cooperation as possible from the
markets," he said.
de Boer said the market share for sustainable timber is expected to increase
to 50 per cent by 2015.
Malaysian officials who participated in the roundtable include Malaysian
Timber Council chief executive officer Cheah Kam Huan and Malaysian Timber
Certification Council chief executive officer Chew Lye Teng.
The Dutch representation include Mathee van de Vin, chairman of The
Netherlands Joinery Association Tom Trooster, the owner of Timber Trade
Connections.
-- BERNAMA
THE HAGUE, Nov 18 (Bernama) -- Too much time and energy wasted on
sustainability issue had caused timber to lose its market share to other
competing building materials such as aluminium and PVC, a top Dutch official
said Tuesday.
Andre de Boer, who is Chief Executive Officer of Royal Netherlands Timber
Trade Association and Secretary-General of the European Timber Trade Federation
said importers will now work towards getting back the demand for timber.
"If we reach a level on sustainability, discussions should stop and
concentrate on promoting timber," he told a roundtable meeting between Dutch
timber importers and visiting Malaysian officials led by Plantation Industries
and Commodities Minister Bernard Dompok held at the Malaysian Embassy here.
He said there was no other building material that had both the attributes of
being renewable and carbon neutral as timber.
This year, he said, the Dutch timber market saw a 25 per cent drop in
turnover with a 20 to 25 per cent reduction in staff employed by the industry
from last year.
The roundtable also deliberated on next year expected to be a difficult
year as 75 per cent of the members' turnover is based on new buildings and
houses though the renovation market will be quite stable.
They said it would be difficult to know what the market would be asking for
next year whether timber from the North or certified timber from sustainable
forests.
Despite the decline in demand for timber, de Boer said the market share for
certified timber has grown showing that there is future for such products.
"By December, we will hand over our agreement to use as much as possible
sustainable timber in our products. We ask other organisations which use timber
to join us. We try to look for as much cooperation as possible from the
markets," he said.
de Boer said the market share for sustainable timber is expected to increase
to 50 per cent by 2015.
Malaysian officials who participated in the roundtable include Malaysian
Timber Council chief executive officer Cheah Kam Huan and Malaysian Timber
Certification Council chief executive officer Chew Lye Teng.
The Dutch representation include Mathee van de Vin, chairman of The
Netherlands Joinery Association Tom Trooster, the owner of Timber Trade
Connections.
-- BERNAMA
