Australian Timber Importers Appoint Simon Dorries for Compliance

ATIF Appoints Simon Dorries, Focuses on Import Compliance

The Australian Timber Importers Federation (ATIF) announced Simon Dorries as its new General Manager, effective October 1, 2026. Dorries' primary objectives include growing the federation's membership and developing a credibility program focused on import compliance for timber and wood-based products.

This initiative aims to guide members through Australia's illegal logging laws, industry codes, and various standards. Dorries brings extensive experience to the role, having spent over 11 years with Responsible Wood, where he led its rebrand in 2017, and nine years prior as the head of the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australasia.

He also chairs the Standards Australia committee responsible for product standards related to plywood, LVL, and other glued wood products. The ATIF currently offers a special membership arrangement for single-site firms with fewer than 20 employees.

Timber Import Dynamics and Origin Labeling Debate

The appointment comes amidst ongoing discussions within Australia's timber sector, including calls from the Australian Forest Products Association (AFPA) for mandatory origin labels on timber products and a dumping investigation into Russian wood processed into LVL in China.

Robert Cairns, an ATIF director and former interim general manager, noted that Australian builders increasingly rely on imported LVL. This shift follows native forest closures in Western Australia and Victoria, which reduced the availability of structural hardwood. Cairns observed that LVL producers and importers show more innovation than some solid timber producers.

He also highlighted that a Chinese mill sourcing certified New Zealand logs can currently provide the necessary documentation to comply with Australia's illegal logging laws, even when the final product arrives labeled "Made in China." Cairns anticipates strong opposition from local producers if origin labels become compulsory for their own timber, much of which also lacks a "Product of Australia" mark.

Implications for Asian Timber Exporters

For Asian timber and wood-based product exporters supplying the Australian market, the ATIF's renewed focus on import compliance signals potential changes in documentation requirements.

The ongoing debate, fueled by the Australian Forest Products Association's push for origin labeling and an anti-dumping case against specific LVL imports, could lead to stricter regulations on product traceability.

While current rules allow for products processed in Asia, such as Chinese-made LVL from certified New Zealand logs, to meet import requirements, any shift towards mandatory origin labeling would require Asian suppliers to adapt their labeling and supply chain transparency.

The Australian Timber Importers Federation will continue its dialogue with the Australian Forest Products Association to establish a unified industry position on these trade issues.