Brazilian plywood producer Amaplac will take a step closer to FSC certification in May at talks designed to implement a forest management plan for the company.
The company, which was boycotted last year as a result of environmentalist protests, will hold talks in Kuala Lumpur with Datuk Wong, founder of its Malaysian parent WTK, representatives from Imaflora, a division of Smartwood, and Greenpeace campaigner Phil Aikman.
The aim is to win agreement from all parties on a forest management plan so that Amaplac can re-start logging on its own lands in Amazonas State instead of relying on third party suppliers of logs for its mill.
Mike Harrod of PT Agencies, Amaplac’s UK agent, said a forest management plan would be the first step towards certification.
Phil Aikman, Greenpeace’s international global markets co-ordinator, said a number of outstanding issues needed to be dealt with before the company could proceed with a forest management plan.
Currently Amaplac plywood is imported to the UK on a shipment-by-shipment basis with the agreement of Greenpeace.
It is understood that a number of plywood importers, including Montague L Meyer, have just been given the green light by Greenpeace to bring in another consignment.
