Sawmills in tropical hardwood-producing regions such as South America, Africa and Southeast Asia

Hardwood Publishing offers Hardwood Review, Hardwood Leader, WoodLogics and other services  for lumber buyers and sellers in the wood manufacturing industries. Read more news about lumber pricing.

closed operations and curtailed production faster than their counterparts in North America during the global recession. One importer told us last week that a key West African supplier recently shuttered two of its four sawmills and most of its kilns.

Pressure from environmental groups and governmental agencies has also curbed exports of Genuine Mahogany and Spanish Cedar from South America. U.S. imports of both African Mahogany and Sapele now far exceed that of Genuine Mahogany, and a number of importers and end-users are utilizing plantation-growth Spanish Cedar from Africa.

Finally, crackdowns on illegal logging are gradually reducing the flow of illegally derived timber into world markets, especially in Southeast Asia. Markets for legally sourced timber have subsequently become more crowded with buyers competing for limited supplies.

To date, North American lumber importers, distributors and end-users of tropical hardwood lumber have adjusted to these changes by shifting to other species and/or paying higher prices. Many are concerned, however, that an eventual rebound in worldwide demand for tropical hardwoods could lead to serious shortages.