Summary
¦ AHEC’s marketing programmes have been running successfully for over 20 years.
¦ Exports of US hardwood lumber and veneer to Europe strengthened in 2010.
¦ Working with famous architects raises the profile of US hardwoods.
¦ The 2011 programme features many new initiatives.

When assessing the impact of The American Hardwood Export Council’s (AHEC) marketing programme over the last year, you just have to look at the figures.

Europe remains a key market for the US hardwood industry and despite the downturn everyone felt in 2009, the region has continued to import significant quantities of lumber and veneer. Exports recovered significantly in 2010 – in fact, in the first nine months of the year, US hardwood lumber exports to Europe were up 26% by value and 19.4% by volume on the same period in 2009.

And for US hardwood veneers the picture was even rosier, with exports up 28.8% by volume and 23.2% by value.

Analysis of the most recent EU import data indicated the increase in market share for US hardwood lumber in Europe during the recent downturn. In fact, between the first quarter of 2008 and the first quarter of 2010, the share of US hardwoods in overall EU imports increased from 16% to 20%. This factor, combined with ongoing AHEC marketing campaigns, gives confidence that US hardwoods will continue to increase share during coming months.

Red oak and tulipwood

As part of our programme, we promote what the forest is growing and therefore give special emphasis to species that could be more widely used, with recent campaigns promoting red oak and tulipwood. And here again we see real results, with increased exports and use of tulipwood, and growing interest in red oak, especially amongst Italian manufacturers.

Behind these facts and figures is an effective and committed export industry backed by the AHEC brand. Our London office runs a Europe-wide campaign (which now includes Turkey) and, with more than 20 years of promotional programme experience and evaluation behind it, it is as creative and far-reaching as ever, covering the whole wood chain from agent and importer through to the decision makers.

Our specifier programme is particularly strong, and evaluations over many years have shown that it has helped influence behavioural change amongst architects and designers.

The message is delivered to architects through a variety of specific activities and promotional tools such as specialist high-profile architectural seminars, design events, trade shows, conferences and dedicated mail shots. The PR programme generates publicity in the architectural press, which is also supported by strategic advertising, all designed to lead architects to either contact AHEC or visit the European website to obtain technical information in the form of publications.

Working with famous architects through seminars and installation projects raises the profile of US hardwoods considerably within the design community as these high-profile activities help demonstrate the look and performance of the material. Jim Greaves from Hopkins Architects regularly presents the practice’s hardwood projects at our international architectural seminars and we have worked with Matteo Thun (Wooden Beacons Installation at Milan Design Week), Established & Sons (Bench Press at the London Design Festival 2009) and David Adjaye (the Sclera pavilion at the London Design Festival 2008), to name just a few.

An increasing number of high-profile and influential architectural practices are now contacting us for advice at the planning or presentation stages of projects.

Again, the figures speak for themselves. An independent evaluation of our architect-focused marketing campaign in 2000 showed that 75% of new contacts were positively influenced and, of those, 28% said they had specified American hardwood for the first time. The 2009 impact assessment showed that 10% of specifiers selected US hardwoods for the first time as a direct result of contact with AHEC, while 10.5% of existing users said they were specifying more US hardwood.

At the trade level we distribute thousands of technical publications, which importers and manufacturers use to promote their US hardwood activities to their customers. We also take part in strategic trade shows and run National Hardwood Lumber Association (NHLA) grading workshops for trade groups and individual companies.

Plans for 2011

This year’s marketing programme is packed with new initiatives. We constantly update our recently redesigned website with blogs, news, events, research, videos and images, ensuring that people will want to use it regularly. A newsletter that visitors can sign-up for is a new addition for 2011. Also new for early 2011 is a 30-minute training video on the American hardwood lumber grading rules.

Research remains a key focus and we are in the process of completing a comprehensive life cycle analysis study, collecting new data on the environmental impact of American hardwoods from forest to end use.

We will also be continuing our focus on testing tulipwood for external applications. In addition, working closely with Arup, we will be redesigning and updating our Structural brochure, including more detailed case studies.

We have plenty of events to look forward to as well. We’re working with architect Amanda Levette on an exciting project for the London Design Festival in September; we will return to Ecobuild in March to present the environmental credentials for our many species, and will continue to back the Wood Awards in the autumn. We’ll also have a big presence as major sponsors at the new Timber Expo in September and, of course, our own regular AHEC European convention will be held in Warsaw, Poland on October 27-28.

For more information about any of our events or studies in 2011, please contact us at europe@americanhardwood.org.