Call for a European real wood guide

The European Timber Trade Association FEBO is considering publishing a consumer guide on the benefits of real wood in the face of rising competition from lookalike synthetic products.

The topic came up at the organisation’s general assembly, held in Nantes at the end of May as part of the Carrefour International du Bois trade fair.

The problem, said speakers, was particularly prevalent in the panel products market.

“Wood imitations in film-faced boards are becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish from real wood visually or by touch,” said a FEBO statement. “And imitations are often named after a timber without the information that the product is an imitation.”

The guide proposed by the Association would give “correct product designations” that “clearly declare” whether a product was the genuine article or not – and the project has been backed by the European timber sector umbrella organisation CEI Bois.

The FEBO meeting also discussed initiatives in the European industry to ensure environmentally responsible timber sourcing, including the Timber Trade Action Plan, and the ongoing debate within the EU over measures to block illegal timber imports into Europe.

“We are observing the decision making process in Brussels and are on the spot to represent the interests of the importing timber wholesalers,” said FEBO secretary-general Lutgart Behets-Oschmann.

At the meeting Franz-Josef Kall of the German Timber Trade Federation was designated successor to current FEBO president Geraud Spire and John White, chief executive of the UK Timber Trade Federation was named as the new vice-president.