ITTO/FAO international conference on tropical plywood

This conference, which was followed by field visits to industrial sites in Bejing and Hangzhou, was attended by close to 200 participants—the vast majority business people—from 31 countries around the world. It proved a great opportunity to make new business contacts and to get updated on the latest trends in tropical plywood production and trade worldwide, with a particular focus on the emerging role of China and why it is competing so effectively. Key presentations were made and panel discussions held on global issues affecting the tropical plywood sector, including production and trade data, emerging trade barriers (including non-tariff trade barriers—NTTBs), technology developments, the raw-material outlook, and the challenging corporate responsibilities of plywood manufacturing.

Proceedings of the conference are under preparation and will be published soon. In the meantime, the conference program, presentations and the summary and conclusions are posted below.

We welcome you to consult and use this data as appropriate. When quoting data given in the Powerpoint presentations, please use the following reference:

• ITTO/FAO International Conference on Tropical Plywood, 26-28 Sept. 2005. Beijing, China. Published by ITTO/FAO.

Opening Ceremonial Session

• Welcome words by Mr. Hongcun Liu, Deputy Director-General, Department of International Cooperation, State Forestry Administration
  
  
• Keynote address on the global outlook and broader perspectives of tropical plywood production and trade - Mr Alhassan Attah, ITTO
  
  
• Setting the stage
  

• Keynote address on global trends in production and trade in TP and their outlook - Mr Steve Johnson, ITTO
  
  
• Production and trade of TP in China, present status and outlook - Prof. Kelin Ye, Director, Research Institute of Wood Industry, Chinese Academy of Forestry
  
  
• Asia's production and trade of TP, present status and outlook - Mrs Loke Sim Wah, Malaysian Timber Industry Board (MTIB)
  
  
• Latin America’s production and trade of TP, present status and outlook - Mr. Ivan Tomaselli, STCP, Brazil
  
  
• Africa’s production and trade of TP, present status and outlook - Mr. Alhassan Attah, Ghana
  

• Japan: Mr. Kimio Yahaba, JPMA
  
  
• North America: Mr. Stuart Clarke, IWPA
  
  
• Europe: Mr. Andy Roby, UK Timber Trade Federation
  
  
• India: Mr. M.M. Jalan, Ex-President, FIPPI India
  

• Keynote address on opportunities and challenges for international trade in TP - Mr. Aris Sunarko, APKINDO, Indonesia
  
  
• Commercial trade barriers for tropical plywood - Mr. Isac Zugman, AIMEX, Brazil
  
  
• Competition and TP substitution by other products - Mr. Stephen Lau, Malaysian Panel-Products Manufacturer's Association (MPMA)
  
  
• Why China is so competitive in TP manufacturing - Mr. Shengfu Wu, Director, Marketing Department, China Forest Products Industry Association
  
  
• Trends of tropical plywood prices - Dr. Jairo Castano, MIS, ITTO
  
  
• Listing tropical plywood on the Shanghai Futures Exchange - Mr. Wang Lei, Shanghai Futures Exchange
  
  
• Standard and quality of plywood made in China - Mr. Bin Lu, Executive Deputy Director, National Quality Monitoring and Test Center for Wood-based Panels, China
  

Session 3: Technological Developments in TP Manufacturing and Enhancing the TP Industry
Chair: Mr. Olman Serrano, FAO

• Keynote address on technological progress in TP manufacturing - Mr. Lazzaro Cremona, Italy
  
  
• Complying to changing plywood standards and quality controls - Mr. Akio Inoue, FPRI
  
  
• Keynote address on structural changes in the TP industry and improving TP mill profitability - Mr. Manuel T. Durini
  
  
• Competitiveness of TP in the global markets - Mr. Paolo Gardino, Italy
  
  
• Adding more value to TP by innovative products - Mr. Giorgio Agnoletti, Alpi Spa (Italy, Cameroon)
  

Session 4: The Raw Material Supply: Sustainability and Accountability
Chair: Mr. J.J. Landrot, ATIBT

• Keynote address on TP: a plantation-based industry or logging natural forests - Mr. Jean Jacques Landrot, ATIBT
  
  
• Challenges of certifying tropical plywood for the global markets - Mr. Chew Lye Teng, Malaysian Timber Certification Council (MTCC)
  
  
• Successful cases of TP production: from reforestation with tropical species - Mr. Silvio Coutinho, Floresteca, Brazil
  
  
• The raw material supply for TP: a global outlook - Mr. Olman Serrano, FAO
  

• Corporate social responsibility - Mr. Andy Roby, UK Timber Trade Federation
  
  
• The private sector/trade associations perspectives of TP manufacturing and trade:
  
  • Indonesia: Mr. Njoto Suhardojojo, APKINDO, and Mr. Simon Simansyah, BRIK (Forest Industry Revitalization Board)
    
    
  • Malaysia: Mr. Tan Seng Hock, Samling Strategic Corporation
    
    
  • Ivory Coast: Mr. W. Birkenmaier, SPIB
    
  
  

• Overview of the main issues raised during the conference and the way ahead, recommendations and summary of conference output