Materials.
The materials Asia builds with, covered with specs, sources, and honest assessment of what's new.
Australia's Responsible Wood Offers $15,000 for Timber Projects
Community groups across Australia can apply for grants up to $15,000 to fund forest-based projects, including bespoke timber furniture and trail construction, with applications closing November 12.
WRA: UK Waste Wood Surplus Pressures Panel Board Supply
The Wood Recyclers’ Association reports persistent oversupply in the UK waste wood market, leading to restricted intake at recycling sites and higher gate fees for waste producers.
Red Stag TimberLab supplies mass timber roofs for NZ bus stations
The Eastern Busway project features hybrid construction with CLT panels and 65mm glulam flitch rafters, reducing on-site installation time for the public infrastructure.
Global Sawmills Cut Production Amid Weak Demand, High Costs
Sawmills in Europe and North America are reducing output as construction demand slows and log supplies become more expensive, impacting global timber markets.
Archier's Ora House Wins Award for 75% Certified Timber Use
Archier's residential project in Australia secured the Australian Certified Timber category at the Timber Design Awards, with certified wood making up 75% of its total building materials.
Victoria's Portland Engineered Wood Hub Secures $200M Investment
The Precinct project aims to produce structural components for 20,000 homes annually, with Timberlink Australia and Finland's Raute among its industry partners.
Takenaka Moen-Wood fire-rated glulam expands to Japan private projects
Japanese builder Takenaka Corporation now permits its Moen-Wood fire-resistant glulam, made from cedar and cypress, for private offices and shops up to 14 storeys with a two-hour fire rating.
Fuqing Vietnam Opens Second LVL Plant, 30,000 m3 for Japan
Fuqing Vietnam Wood Industry has completed its second laminated veneer lumber (LVL) plant, covering 22,000 sq m, which is undergoing trial production and applying for Japanese Agricultural Standard (JAS) certification for non-structural studs.
Vietnam Fuels China's 155.8% Surge in North American Hardwood
Chinese buyers paid less for ash and oak from Vietnam than direct from the US, as trade friction between Washington and Beijing shifts supply routes.
Hamburg Symposium Gathers 360 for Wood Panel Innovations
The 14th European Wood-based Panel Symposium, organized by Fraunhofer WKI and EPF, addressed artificial intelligence, circular economy principles, and EU REACH compliance for wood-based materials.
SCA Sweden Examines Continuous-Cover Forestry for Building Timber Quality
A field excursion in Southern Norrland, Sweden, reviewed continuous-cover forestry methods like shelterwood and selection harvesting to produce high-quality timber for building conservation.
Western Australia Sandalwood Harvest Cap Reduced by 500 Tonnes
Western Australia's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions proposes cutting the annual limit on living sandalwood trees from 1,250 to 750 tonnes, impacting key Asian export markets including China, Taiwan, India, and Malaysia.
WISA Group Aims for €550M Plywood Sales by 2030 After UPM Spin-off
WISA Group, newly independent from UPM, plans to expand its plywood presence in European and international markets, targeting sales growth from €409 million in 2025 to over €550 million by 2030.
BESIX Watpac Selected for Hobart's A$1.13 Billion Timber Stadium
The A$1.13 billion Macquarie Point Stadium in Tasmania will feature the world's largest timber roof structure, with construction set to begin after final delivery details are settled this month.
EU Extends Anti-Dumping Duties on Birch Plywood from Turkey
European manufacturers report ongoing sales and price pressure in 2026 due to redirected birch plywood supplies, prompting the EU to target Turkey and Kazakhstan.
Siam Fibreboard upgrades Thai MDF with Sunds Fibertech PressBooster
The Thai manufacturer completed the installation of two PressBooster systems in April and June 2026, aiming to increase medium-density fiberboard capacity and improve product quality.
New Zealand Kauri Dieback Threatens Carbon Stores
A recent study reveals that kauri dieback disease, active for two decades, causes affected forests in New Zealand to lose up to one tonne of carbon per hectare annually.
China Building Reps Tour BC Wood Ahead of Global Buyers Mission
Over 20 Chinese building material and design representatives toured British Columbia sawmills and timber construction projects before meeting Canadian wood product suppliers at the Global Buyers Mission last month.
Japan Softwood Lumber Imports Drop 29.4% in August
Japan's total softwood lumber purchases fell to 242,792 m³ in August 2026, with imports from Sweden and Finland declining by over a third.
US Hardwood Sawmills: Log Exports Drive Overseas Rivals
Market analyses at the 2026 National Hardwood Lumber Association convention detailed how US hardwood sawmills contend with reduced domestic sales and increased competition from overseas processors.
Australia Targets 32.5 Million Treated Timber Vineyard Posts
Australia is developing a national stewardship scheme for 32.5 million stockpiled vineyard posts, 80% of which are treated with copper chrome arsenate (CCA), with up to 26,100 tonnes removed annually.
Carlyle explores sale of Spanish plywood producer Garnica
US investment group Carlyle has reportedly engaged Houlihan Lokey to review options for its stake in Garnica, citing recent financial challenges for the Spanish wood panel manufacturer.
Estonia: August Sawlog Prices Stable, Spruce Up 0.5% to €109.56/m³
While Estonia's overall sawlog market remained largely flat in August, pine sawlogs also saw a modest increase of 0.1%, reaching €104.66/m³.
Melbourne F1 Pit Building Uses 791 Meters of Australian Glulam
The A$395 million Albert Park facility for the 2028 Australian Grand Prix incorporates nearly 1,000 tonnes of steel and 208 concrete panels.
US Single-Family Homes: Wood Framing Holds 94% Share in 2025
In 2025, concrete framing accounted for 5% of new single-family homes, while steel framing saw a 25% increase in completions to 5,000 units.
Kyoto Project Turns Bear-Marked Cedar into Urushi Surfboards
The BEARS WOOD PROJECT, launched in 2022 by Tsutsumi Asakichi Urushi, transforms Japanese cedar marked by Asian black bears into unique surfboards under its siita brand, preventing its discard.
China Wood Imports: 61% From Illegal Harvesting Risk
New research reveals China imported 115.9 million cubic meters of wood yearly from 2018 to 2023, with over 60% originating from nations with elevated illegal harvesting risk.
European Panel Makers Seek EU Safeguards in India FTA
Producers of wood-based panels and high-pressure laminates in Europe fear that reduced tariffs under a new EU-India trade agreement could intensify market competition for these materials and furniture.
The Precinct Unveils A$200 Million Engineered Wood Plant
The Precinct will outline plans for its 35-hectare engineered wood facility in Victoria, with Finnish machinery maker Raute discussing technology for scaling laminated veneer lumber.
Kohila Vineer to Double Estonian Birch Plywood Output with Raute
Latvijas Finieris' Kohila Vineer plant in Estonia will increase its birch plywood output to 85,000 m³ annually, following a €31 million contract with Raute.
Japan Boosts Domestic Sugi Timber Use Amid Spruce Supply Shortages
Japan's wood self-sufficiency reached 42.5% in 2024, up from 18.8% in 2002, driven by government initiatives and reduced imports of European spruce.
Japan Softwood Lumber Imports Drop 27% in July to 265,000 m³
Japan's softwood lumber imports reached 265,000 m³ in July, a 27% decrease from the previous year, according to preliminary figures from Japan's Forestry Agency. This marks the lowest monthly volume recorded in the current official series.
Elixrr Industries Starts 1,000 m³ Daily MDF Production in India
Indian wood-based panel producer Elixrr Industries began medium-density fiberboard (MDF) production on 16 August 2026 at its new plant. The facility, supplied by Siempelkamp, features an 8ft by 33.8m ContiRoll Generation 9 press and can produce approximately 1,000 cubic meters of MDF daily.
US Hardwood Exports to India Reach $6.944M in H1 2026
American hardwood lumber and veneer exports to India totalled $6.944 million in the first half of 2026, driven by white and red oak. The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) will promote US species and its American Hardwood Assured program at MumbaiWood.
Indonesia-Australia Research Boosts Timber Resilience, Pulp Supply
A decades-long collaboration between Indonesian and Australian research bodies has strengthened Indonesia's forestry sector, focusing on disease-resistant plantation species like acacia, eucalyptus, and cajuput. The partnership, led by Dr. Anto Rimbawanto, improved material sourcing for pulp and paper and supported sustainable community forestry.
Jae K Kim's *Timbercraft* Documents 1,400 Years of East Asian Wooden Construction
Architect Jae K Kim published *Timbercraft: Lost Tectonics from East Asia*, a book detailing traditional wooden construction methods across China, Japan, and Korea. The publication spans over 1,400 years of architectural history, presenting analytical drawings of nine landmark structures and their intricate joinery systems.
Wisewoods Commissions Second Dieffenbacher Z-Sifter for Thai Rubberwood MDF
Thai MDF producer Wisewoods installed a second Dieffenbacher Z-Sifter at its Khao Yoi plant, replacing two older units. The system processes rubberwood, improving product quality by removing latex residues and cutting energy consumption by 50%.