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The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) will host the largest ever American Hardwood Pavilion at INDIAWOOD, which is due to run from February 22 – 26, 2024 at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), in Bengaluru, India. Source: Timberbiz A record year of exports to India in 2023 coupled with India’s growing appetite for temperate hardwoods has bolstered US hardwood exporters to become increasingly active in India. The event will see the participation of 14 exporters under the banner of the American Hardwood Pavilion. The American Hardwood Pavilion, which will occupy 224 square meters of space at the show, will serve to highlight the variety of American hardwood species while also throwing the spotlight on the benefits of the value-added processes undertaken to supply such a high quality and high yielding kiln-dried raw material. Participating companies include Baillie Lumber, Banks Hardwoods, Bingaman & Son Lumber, Cascade Hardwood, Classic American Hardwoods, Crown Hardwood Co., Hartzell Hardwoods, Midwest Hardwood Corporation, Midwest Timber Exports, Missouri Walnut, Ron Jones Hardwood, Turman Group, Wheeland Lumber, and WM Cramer Lumber. “Demand for North American hardwood lumber has been increasing in recent years, with 2023 looking set to be another record year for US hardwood lumber exports to India. Data provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the first 11 months of 2023 revealed that US hardwood exports to India were valued at US$6.54 million, equating to a volume of 10,905 cubic meters,” said Roderick Wiles, AHEC Regional Director. “We look forward to our participation at INDIAWOOD, which is a must-attend event for the region’s timber trade and woodworking sector. Now in its thirteenth year, the show allows us the opportunity to share the comparative benefits of US hardwoods, in a market that offers significant and long-term growth potential.” According to AHEC, while the export-focused furniture and handicraft manufacturers (concentrated in Rajasthan) represent the greatest current market opportunity for US hardwood lumber in India, the long-term target market will be domestic consumers. Currently, this market is primarily serviced by smaller furniture, joinery and flooring manufacturers, who offer bespoke solutions and who are not export-focused. The size of the domestic furniture market cannot be understated. According to Mordor Intelligence, it is estimated at US$15.79 billion in 2023, and is expected to reach US$26.85 billion by 2028, growing at an annual rate of over 11% during the forecast period. In recent years, the market has expanded beyond chairs and tables to include designed interiors, wardrobes and upholstered furniture sets. Escalating demand for customization is another major growth-inducing factor, as consumers are seeking personalized, functional, and design-centric furniture. The heightened focus on sustainability and eco-friendly furniture made from renewable or recycled materials has also catalyzed market growth, while several favourable government initiatives, such as the ‘Make in India’ campaign, that encourage domestic manufacturing and enhance the availability of quality furniture at affordable prices are contributing to market growth.

For decades, Nokian Tyres Noktop 21’s traction, self-cleaning properties and versatility on challenging surfaces has made it a trusted go-to tread for commercial use. From the beginning of 2024, the classic tread gets new features while keeping its first-class properties. Source: Timberbiz From February 2024, Noktop 21 gets a new look and new features. While the time-proven rubber compound, tread pattern and two-layer cap/base structure remain, it now has broader width range of 240–280 mm, added stud holes for every width, clear product markings for identification as well as 3PMSF marking as proof of safe winter use. “By creating new moulds and adding some improvements we gave the classic tread a fresh start,” Teppo Siltanen, Product Manager at Nokian Heavy Tyres said. “With the new 280 mm width, the Noktop 21 range covers the most popular tyre sizes very well.” Over the years, the Noktop 21 drive tread has become something of a legend in the transport industry. Its good self-cleaning properties and remarkable traction have earned the trust of people working on wintry roads. Its tread pattern has also been copied by many other manufacturers. “Earlier versions of the Noktop 21 tread had a distinctive white stripe, which we later had to leave out for manufacturing reasons,” Teppo Siltanen said. “Now, the renewed Noktop 21 has clear markings with model number, country of origin and winter symbols to prove it is the real deal. “Retreading makes sense both economically and for the environment,” Mr Siltanen said. “For all-season general use, you cannot beat the two-layer cap/base structure of the original Noktop 21. “The tread profile changes over the winter to become suitable for summer use.”