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The Shifting Composition of U.S. Hardwood Lumber Exports to the European Union
By William P. Bomersheim
Demand for "non-traditional"
American hardwood species is increasing in the European Union
(EU) as consumers learn more about American hardwoods. Ten years
ago, over half of U.S. hardwood lumber shipments were white oak,
while red oak constituted another 23 percent. These two species
accounted for almost three-quarters of all U.S. hardwood lumber
exports to the EU.
Today, however, the species spectrum has changed. While American white oak is still a favorite in Europe, American red oak exports have now dropped to less than 8 percent of U.S. hardwood lumber exports to the EU. Demand has broadened to include American sassafras, tulipwood, willow, sycamore, hackberry, cottonwood and other species which were largely unknown in Europe 10 years ago.
The biggest beneficiaries of
Europe’s willingness to try new species, besides European
consumers, are U.S. exporters of American red alder, cherry, and
maple. Together these species grew from under 8 percent of U.S.
hardwood lumber exports in 1989 to more than 30 percent today.
American red alder exports to the EU increased steadily from $10
million in 1989 to over $71 million in 1998. Over the same
period, American cherry exports to the EU grew from $6.5 million
to over $47 million, while exports of maple grew from $3.4
million to $32 million.
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The author is an economist with the Foreign Agricultural
Service’s Forest and Fishery Products Division. Tel.: (202)
720-1596; Fax: (202) 720-8461; E-mail: bomersheim@fas.usda.gov
Wood With Character: How Do Europeans Feel about It?
By William P. Bomersheim
The European furniture industry has long preferred hardwood without blemishes over "character marked" hardwood; the objective is to produce uniform pieces of furniture. Over the years, this has created demand for the highest grades of American hardwood, resulting in excellent export opportunities for U.S. suppliers of "Firsts and Seconds" (FAS) grade lumber.
Recently, evidence indicates that consumer preferences may be changing and that European manufacturers, with their bias against "character marked" hardwoods, may be barking up the wrong tree.
In interviews conducted by the American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) at the April BBC Good Homes Show in the United Kingdom, consumers indicated they would like the option of hardwood products with natural character. Although the full results of the study have yet to be published, preliminary evidence indicates that most United Kingdom consumers are unwilling to pay more for furniture devoid of "character marks," and that many actually prefer the "natural" look.
The interviews also revealed that consumers are generally unaware of the environmental benefits of using products that contain natural character and color variation. When informed that European manufacturers normally discard defects and blemishes, many consumers expressed great concern about the waste of an important resource.
The surveys conducted at the BBC Good Homes Show are part of AHEC’s Koomen Project, funded under the U.S. hardwood industry’s partnership with USDA’s foreign market development programs. The project’s objective is to determine the effect of materials selection on yield and costs in a hardwood furniture application. The study also looked at the acceptability of defects to consumers and perceived product quality.
For more information about the Koomen Project, contact Mike Snow at the American Hardwood Export Council, 1111 19th Street, NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20035. Tel.: (202) 463-2774.
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