Analysis and New Developments on the Chinese Hardwood Market

1. Analysis and New Developments on the Chinese Hardwood Market Prepared For European Hardwood Conference November 3-4, 2005 Paris - France Li Hongfan China Wood International, Inc Beijing, China

2. Presentation Outline • Market overview of the last 5 years on China lumbers and logs: consumption and imports • China Timber Consumption by geography • Chinese import duty for log and lumber import • Reasons and analysis for the Oak & beech & Tropical hardwood consumption in China • China Wood processing industry and its fit for European hardwood • Doing business in China

3. Part 1: Market overview of the last 5 years on China Logs and lumbers: consumption and imports

4. Application field of commercial timber in China During 1998-2004 (million cbm) Source: SFA Nearly 109.84 million cbm timber were used in Construction and Decoration industry, sharing 48% of total timber used. Timber Application percentage in Paper was increased from 8.4% (9 million cbm) in 1998 to 33%(75.39 million cbm) in 2004.

5. China is the only developing country among the top 12 wood product importers in the world. Source: Global Trade Atlas • China was the 4th largest import market for wood products in 2004, with total imports of US$5.2 billion. • In 2005 H1, China surpassed the UK to become the 3rd largest market.

6. China accounted for 26% of global imports of hardwood logs in 2004, and 2005 will be another new record volume. Jan-August 2005 sourcing changes: Malaysia -25% African -6% Russia +25% PNG +42% Myanmar +28% Gabon +8.5% Solomon Is +42% Germany +44% • First 8 month of 2005, Russia has surpassed Malaysia to become the leading supplier. • African supply -6%, but imports from USA +30% and Europe +67%.

7. China Hardwood Lumbers Domestic Consumption & Import during last five years.

8. China: World’s largest market for hardwood lumber, with 21% of global imports in 2004 Leading Hardwood suppliers – 2005e Jan-Aug 2005 % change in Volume Myanmar +50% Indonesia - 24% USA +7% Russia - 6% Malaysia +5% Brazil - 22%

9. China Hardwood Lumbers Domestic Consumption & Import during last five years

10. Part 2: China Main Timber Consumption by geography;

12. Demand from Domestic Consumption: • vInshore Area • Middle & West area • Beijing 2008 Olympic Games & Shanghai 2010 World Expo Demand from Increasing wood products exports from China to International markets: • Solid Wood Production Centers: • The North China Wood industrial areas • The South China wood industrial center • The East China industrial area • The Northeast China industrial areas

14. 具有相当规模的胶合板工厂

15. Part 3: Chinese Import duty rules for log and lumber import;

16. Logs and Lumber Zero Import duty makes China more logs and lumber import while not prefer to processed products. • The policy of having zero import duties on logs and lumber while maintaining import duties on more processed products • Heavy investment in infrastructure to facilitate imports. • Imported wood products used to produce furniture or wood products for export are also exempt from VAT for producers operating in a tax-free zone. • Opening up the import trade so that there are now probably one thousand companies or more involved in importing logs and lumber.

17. More Logs import than Lumber import in China • Because of different dimensions and grades on lumbers between China & overseas suppliers, Chinese company would like to import more logs while not lumber. • Chinese company prefers to import logs for rotary or slice for thinner veneer to produce veneer faced wood products, while not import veneer directly because of different veneer grades, to lower the cost. • Better usage of logs than lumber. Chinese companies normally would like to widely use the logs imported in different parts of products to reduce the high raw material cost.

18. Part 4: Reasons and analysis for Beech & Oak & Tropical Hardwood import changes in China ;

19. China Oak import increased 72.97% by logs and 45.57% by lumber in first half 2005, compared with the same period of 2004.

20. China Beech Imports decreased 6.78% by logs and 26.09% by lumber in this first half year, compared with 2004.

21. China Tropical Hardwood Log & Lumber Import during 2000-2004 Main suppliers of tropical hardwood logs are Malaysia, PNG, Gabon, Myanmar, and Indonesia, etc; While Indonesia , Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand are the main suppliers of tropical lumber.

22. Market Demand Makes the species import changing ! • Decoration is alike fashion, every year change the style, so species using on panel will be changed according to the market demand. • Before 2000, Beech faced panel used for interior decoration was quite popular in China, so plywood factories consumed many Beech logs and veneer, and now the market has happened great change, customers would rather like many types hardwood other than Beech. • Beech face panel using for decoration is not good for painting, the color can be changed after years, which makes clients unhappy. • After 2000, Chinese customers imported lots of Beech from France for many Beech logs were blew down by hurricane, but the quality is not good, so many users complained to Beech species and changed to utilize other hard species.

23. Market Demand Makes the species import changing ! (cont.) • Increasing demand from domestic consumption and exporting on Oak species, used for Oak flooring and furniture, even for Oak face panel for decoration. • Most wood flooring companies produce flooring with many kinds of hardwood, the species mainly from SE Asia, S. America, Africa, some from Europe and N. America, like Oak, but seldom with Beech, very few manufacturers produce Beech flooring. • Increase import from Russia on hardwood species (Oak, birch, ash, etc) and strong promotion activities from NA in China make more Oak import.

24. Part 5: China Wood Processing industry and Its fit for European Hardwood;

25. China Furniture Production & Export • 80% of furniture production in China are made of solid wood and wood-based panel. • Wood furniture shares 30% of total China furniture export • During last 8 years, China wood furniture export increased 19% every year in volume, and 28% in value.

26. China Furniture Production • The total number of furniture firms is above 50,000. among which generally are small and medium firms. The number of employees of furniture industry is 5 million now. • The furniture industry is heavily dependent on imported wood to support the production, including: • -- Hardwood lumber from North America, Southeast Asia, Russia, and Europe. • -- Hardwood logs from Russia, Southeast Asia, Africa, and to a much lesser extent Europe (mostly Germany). • -- Softwood logs and lumber from Russia and to a much lesser extent New Zealand. • Species from USA are Red Oak, White Oak, Walnut, Cherry, Maple, and from Russia are mainly Birch, Ash, Elm, Basswood, and etc.

27. China is largest wood flooring producers & consumers Main species used: Domestic: Ash, Chinese oak, elm, basswood Imported from Russia, Africa, and South America • China’s flooring production shares 50% of total production volume in the world. • There are 4000 solid wood flooring manufactures, and it’s estimated 1/3 middle-small scale solid wood flooring producers will stop production because of higher price of raw material in 2005 – 2006. • There are more than 100 engineered flooring manufactures with certain scales in China.

28. Part 6: Doing Business with Chinese

29. Find good and suitable local Agent is very important in exploring China markets! • Sector magazines/journals/newsletters/newspaper • Association meetings • Industrial exhibitions • Seminars for customers • Sector administration offices (ministerial, provincial, municipal) • State Technology Supervising and Testing Centers

30. Part 7: Actual and Future Trends of the Chinese Market

31. Future Trends • Hardwood import keeps growing, but increase speed is reducing for the growing of softwood import • Oak import increase more than other species • Beech import is appearing the reduction trend • Low grade and cheap beech for furniture is accepted • Softwood demand increase • Engineering wood development • Fast growing wood supply increase (poplar, eucalyptus)

32. China Wood International Trade Service Center China Wood International, Inc Beijing Xiangfei Market Investigation Co., Ltd

33. Company Profile China Wood International, Inc, & Beijing Xiangfei Market Investigation Co., Ltd is in the business of providing services for China wood products international trade and internationalization of Chinese enterprises, with more than 10 years experience in the wood industry. We construct a brand new “China Wood International Trade Service Center” for industry players both from domestic and overseas, by setting up and continuously perfecting “China wood international enterprise database” and “China wood international media platform” along with professional perspective, marketing strategy and honest spirit.

34. Service and products • Market research – form core competitiveness advantage • Various media – market promotion platform • Conference service – incorporate excellent company to make great achievements • Business consulting – concentrate on industry service, discern company’s trend

35. 1-1 Market research & consulting - service 1 Single client consulting report: Providing information consulting and market investigation services for China and the international forest products industry. • China Wood Products Distribution Study report • China Tools Markets and Its Fit For XXXXX • World Forest Resource Report • China Plywood Industry Report

36. 1-2 Market research & consulting - service 2 Multi-client consulting report: Firmly sticking to latest development of wood industry and market demand, we draw up the study report in industry development, distributing the latest multi-client market study report throughout the world.

37. 2 Great Internet & Paper Media platform • www.chinawood.org is a bilingual web site with more than 12,000 registered members. Our web site is viewed over 420,000 times every week, covering global wood industry. • 《International Wood Industry Magazine》 is published in English and Chinese, distributed throughout world, which is a professional media focused on international timber and wood products trade . • “CHINA WOOD MONTHLY MARKET REPORT” , an English version newsletter, has more than 1,000 overseas readers, distributed throughout world.

38. 2-1 Media 1 : Magazine《International Wood industry》

39. 2-2 Media 2: B2B website www.chinawood.net

40. 2-3 Media 3: Newsletter China Wood Monthly Market Report

41. 3. Industry Conference

42. 3-1 Conference service 1： Annual international trade conference on timber and wood products • Annually China WOOD Markets Export & Import Conference is one of the most important industry events focused on promoting international timber and wood products trade between Chinese and overseas companies, starting from 2002 year. This is a great platform for overseas companies to meet qualified suppliers as well as potential buyers.

43. 3-2 Conference service 2：International trade conference focused on specialized products It is international trade conference focused on specialized products (plywood in 2004, and flooring in 2005), organized normally every spring.

44. Achievements — 7 international conferences during 4 years • 2002 China Wood Export & Import Conference on March 10-12 in Beijing • 2002 Sino-Russia Wood Trade & Investment Conference on November 17-18 in Beijing • 2003 China Wood Export & Import Conference on October 28-30 in Shanghai • 2004 China Plywood Trade & Investment Conference on April 28-29 in Pizhou • 2004 China Wood Markets Export & Import Conference on October 26-29 in Dalian • 2005 China Wood Flooring Export & Import Conference in April • 2005 China Wood Export & Import Conference in Guangdong

45. conference

46. 3-3 Conference service 3：seminar combined with exhibitions • Entrusted by six famous industry exhibition organizers (such as WoodMac) every year, we help them organize seminars during the exhibition opening time, delivering specific industry knowledge to exhibitors and visitors.

47. 4 Business Advisor service • Providing market investigation service about China for foreign company. • Providing industry tours organization service for foreign company. • Organizing business tour to abroad for domestic company periodically. • servicing as an industry agent, inspector or headhunter based on customer requirements.

48. Achievements —business tour • 2000 international wood trade investigation tour； • Organizing wood trade investigation tour for Tennessee, USA ； • Organizing domestic enterpriser to investigate North American market ； • Organizing “Forest Machine Investigation Tour” for Finland cooperated with Finland embassy； • Organizing “Sino-Russian Wood Trade & Investment tour” with American International Forest Resources Inc. • Successful tour for China wood products export – United State； • Plywood purchase research tour in Jiangsu & Zhejiang areas for American purchasers； • China’s market research for American hardwood supplier ； • Organizing investigation tour of log and plywood purchase in northeast China for foreign clients.

49. 5-1 Achievements —Import & Export Directory • 《China Wood Export Directory》 in Chinese； • 《China Wood Export Directory – plywood section 》in both Chinese and English； • 《China Wood Export Directory – wooden flooring Section》 in English; • 《World Timber Raw Material Purchase Directory》 in both English and Chinese.

50. Achievements — China Wood Import & Export Directory