A new online timber market place has launched in the Netherlands.
Joep van Essen, creator of www.timberexchange.com, said it differs from other trading websites because users only pay if a successful match is made between supplier and potential or actual buyer. There is no registration fee or annual subscription.
Suppliers post as many parcels of timber on the site as they want, free of charge and anonymously. Timberexchange then makes matches with appropriate buyers who have posted enquiries.
“Stocks that are unmarketable for some become marketable for others,” said Mr van Essen. “Producers and bulk users can thus use the site to reduce stocks, increase turnaround times and cut back on financing costs.”
He added that the launch of the site also chimes with the increasing tendency of “producers, sawmills, agent, importers, traders and larger end users seeking each other out over the internet”.
The site uses Timberexchange (TE) credits as payment which become cheaper the more users buy (10 credits cost €50 and 200 €500 excluding VAT). Potential buyers pay two TE-credits per match and sellers and potential sellers five TE-credits.
