Help Me Welcome Hunt Forest Products, Tolko to SFPA!
SFPA is very excited to welcome two new lumber manufacturer members – Tolko and Hunt Forest Products – to its community of Southern Pine lumber manufacturing members!
Hunt Forest Products and its joint venture partner, Tolko Industries, Ltd., own and operate the two newest, state-of-the-art sawmills in Louisiana: LaSalle Lumber Co. is located in the central Louisiana town of Urania and began operations in March 2019, while Bienville Lumber Co., which is in the northwest corner of the state in Taylor, began operations in April 2024.
Tolko is a world-class value-added forest products manufacturer headquartered in Vernon, British Columbia, offering a wide and growing range of forest products to customers around the world.
Founded as a single lumber mill in Lavington, British Columbia, the company has grown to be a leader in Western sustainable forestry and manufacturing, which includes holding third-party certification on the forestlands it sustainably manages in British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan.
Their decision to join SFPA reflects its support for SFPA and the Southern Pine lumber industry, and the board of directors, SFPA members, and staff welcome their dedication to the Association. With their additions, SFPA’s lumber manufacturer roster now sits at 14, representing more than 40% of Southern Pine lumber production.
Learn more about each by clicking on their names below:
Potential EUDR Impacts on Southern Pine Exports
The Southern Lumber Exporters Association (SLEA) invited me to attend and speak at their annual meeting in Spanish Fort, AL, on September 5, and I had the opportunity to talk with more than 20 SLEA members while meeting with many SFPA members directly engaged in exporting Southern Pine lumber.
The request resulted from exporters’ growing concerns about how to comply with the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). One of the primary objections to the EUDR is the requirement for lumber shipments into (and within) the EU to include geolocation information – specific polygon coordinates of the timber stand(s) from which the fiber originated so it can be verified the forest was not converted into another land use.
It remains to be seen how EUDR compliance will look, as there has been no guidance from the EU about how geolocation information will be transmitted with shipments.
Last year, the value of Southern Pine exports to Europe (EU-27 and UK) was about $12 million, shared almost equally between treated and bright lumber. Shipments have been down since 2021. As the enforcement deadline approaches, SFPA will continue to provide input, monitor, and report on EUDR developments.
I encourage all SFPA members to review the handout we prepared, which is located in the members-only section of SouthernPine.com.
Enhanced Monthly Southern Pine Exports Report
Speaking of the value of Southern Pine exports, we want to provide further value in some of the industry analytics and insights SFPA provides. That’s why we’re now providing the dollar value of Southern Pine exports around the world.
You can get an overview by clicking here, while SFPA members can access the value for every country importing Southern Pine lumber in the members-only section on SouthernPine.com.
Promotional Activities
SFPA is always somewhere representing the industry and promoting the benefits and best use of Southern Pine. We’ve had and will have a busy few weeks with the following events:
- Saudi Wood Expo: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Sept. 2-4, 2024
- Thailand International Woodworking & Furniture Show: Bangkok, Thailand – Sept. 18-20
Members, don’t forget to check out the trip reports and trade leads from each of these international shows!
Additionally, if you’re heading to Portland for the Timber Processing & Energy Expo later this month, please be on the lookout for Christian Moises, SFPA’s communications manager, and Katie Kopf, SFPA’s administrative assistant and program coordinator. They’ll be stopping by to say hi during the three-day event.
Need to meet with them while you’re there? Email Christian at cmoises@sfpa.org, and they’ll arrange some time with you.
Association Management System (AMS) Update
I haven’t provided an update since June – and for good reason. After many weeks of demos and discussion, we have settled on an association management system platform – GrowthZone!
We are in the early phases of onboarding, training, and data transfers, but our plan is to get moved in and educate our members on how to use this new technology before the end of 2024.
The SFPA staff and I can’t wait to share this with our members, as I promise it will revolutionize the way we communicate with you and greatly enhance how you get the resources you and your company need to be successful.
Have You Reserved Your Booth for Forest Products EXPO 2025?
Exhibit space reservations for EXPO 2025 are still going quickly, with more than 80% of the floor plan under contract or pending as of September 6 – and there are still prime spaces available and waiting for you! Click here to reserve your space today.
And in case you haven’t already started making plans, the 38th Forest Products Machinery & Equipment Exposition returns to the Music City Center in Nashville from August 6-8, 2025.
Already exhibiting and looking to get your name out front at EXPO? We’re releasing sponsorship opportunities October 15, and if you thought there were some fun options last year, wait until you see what we’re introducing this year!
Not receiving EXPO-related emails? To ensure you receive important EXPO-related communications, we recommend you whitelist the mapyourshow.com domain to ensure you don’t miss any important Forest Products EXPO news.
Have questions about the show? Visit SFPAexpo.com or email expo@sfpa.org.
American Wood Council Lifecycle Reporting
The American Wood Council (AWC) Life Cycle Survey is live, and SFPA is proud to coordinate with its Lumber Manufacturer members to engage in this important project to meet the growing transparency demands and position wood – and Southern Pine – as the premier building material.