The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC), the leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry, has announced plans to host two seminars for importers, traders, manufacturers and end users of American hardwoods in Amman and Dubai in September, in cooperation with the National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA). The seminars will help attendees obtain a better understanding of the physical properties, grades and the potential for applications offered by the different species of American hardwoods, and reflect AHEC’s commitment to cater to and expand further in the MENA region, which has demonstrated a consistent and healthy appetite for U.S. hardwoods. AHEC is partnering with the Jordanian Furniture Exporters Association (JFEMA) for the seminar in Amman.

The seminars are free to attend and will be delivered by Michael Snow, AHEC Executive Director, Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director and Dana Spessert, NHLA Chief Grading Inspector, who will also provide an introduction and a practical demonstration of the NHLA rules for grading North American hardwood lumber, which form the basis of every successful transaction in American hardwoods. The dates and venue for the seminars have been announced as follows – Monday, 14th September at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Amman, Jordan; and Tuesday, September 15, at the Murooj Rotana in Dubai, UAE. The seminar in Amman will commence at 9:15 am and will be followed by a lunch reception whilst the Dubai seminar will commence at 5:45 pm followed by a networking dinner.

“Demand for U.S. hardwood lumber and veneers in the Middle East has continued to rise during the first half of 2015. The significant housing, healthcare and education needs of Saudi Arabia’s large and fast-growing population are set to drive construction for many years to come, while hospitality, commerce and retail development will keep the UAE buoyant for the foreseeable future. It is the construction industry, which drives the interiors and furniture sectors and this is where the bulk of American hardwoods are being consumed. However, we are also hearing more and more about renovation or refurbishment of existing buildings, which is another key driver of demand,” said Roderick Wiles. “The UAE, in particular, has become both a timber trading hub and a wood processing center for the whole Middle East, as well as for markets well beyond. It is imperative then that we engage with the different elements of the ‘timber chain’ and help them make the best use of the American hardwood resource.”

Dana has served as the Chief Grading Inspector of the NHLA for the past five years, where his responsibilities range from managing a staff of nationally and internationally-based inspectors to rules interpretations. Dana has also travelled to a number of countries teaching and representing the NHLA hardwood lumber inspection rules. Although the NHLA grading rules were originally conceived for the U.S. marketplace, a reasonable knowledge is essential for buyers worldwide in order to attain their expected degree of quality. These seminars are aimed at making the most of Dana’s valuable experience, which encompasses over twenty years as an inspector of hardwood lumber, in a bid to educate buyers of hardwoods in the MENA region.

“American hardwood lumber is graded to the rules of the NHLA, which aims to maximize both the yield and the value of sawn wood, which in turn minimizes waste and reduces pressure on the environment. As such, the NHLA grading rules provide both the buyer and seller with a consistent language for conducting hardwood lumber transactions. Through these seminars, we hope to increase the understanding of the grading rules amongst importers, traders and end users as part of our overall mission to raise awareness on the working properties and variety of commercially available American hardwoods. We have organized similar seminars in collaboration with the NHLA before and the response has always been very positive, and so we are confident that we can generate the same level of interest,” concluded Wiles.