Leading international trade association for the American hardwood industry, American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) conducted a series of factory visits and held a ‘mini-convention’ in Jodhpur along with representatives from two AHEC member companies and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. Following a successful showing at DelhiWood, the delegation spent three days meeting with leading manufacturers, understanding challenges related to timber requirements, and exploring new opportunities for American hardwoods, particularly for products manufactured for export.
The delegation spent three days meeting with leading manufacturers, understanding challenges related to timber requirements, and exploring new opportunities.
AHEC and Jodhpur Handicrafts Exporters Association (JHEA) hosted about 200 manufacturers at a seminar and networking event at Taj Vivanta in Jodhpur. The event was opened by the Honourable Minister of State for Agriculture, Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, who commented on the contribution of the furniture and handicrafts sector to Rajasthan’s economy. This was followed by presentations by AHEC experts on all aspects of American hardwoods, a showcase of samples and a Q&A on lumber grading, kiln-drying, environmental credentials and applications.
The event provided an ideal platform for Jodhpur’s handicrafts sector to network and discuss their requirements with the visiting members of the hardwood industry. The AHEC delegation also visited leading furniture manufacturers in the city, all of whom currently use significant volumes of hardwood lumber for furniture and handicrafts production for markets in Europe, Australia, the US and the Middle East.
Since manufacturers are dealing with a drop in traditional sources of wood supply and a strong focus on avoiding wood products that might come from illegal sources in North America and Europe, AHEC devised an effective strategy. The delegation suggested that products by manufactured using American hardwoods that are not only abundant but also backed by the well-recognised assurance of legal and sustainable production. “India offers significant potential for the consumption of American hardwoods across sectors, both for domestic and export manufacturing. Jodhpur is just one production centre for wooden furniture and handicrafts. There are several others — in Rajasthan as well as across India. The scale of manufacturing is significant and the requirement for hardwood lumber is substantial. This has been further highlighted by the Indian companies that attended the event and expressed a keen interest in importing and using American hardwoods for the first time,” said Roderick Wiles, regional director, AHEC.
The mini-convention reflected AHEC’s renewed commitment to cater to and further expand in India, which has demonstrated a growing appetite for US hardwoods for years. Currently such exports are low when compared to the potential but awareness is increasing, perceptions are changing and demand is on the rise. AHEC believes that this is a key time for the industry’s association with India. With this opportunity in mind, AHEC expressed its intent to keep the momentum in India in the future. Based on the success of this event, AHEC aims to host a similar event in Jaipur in October, as well as to participate in the MumbaiWood trade show.