Oboto, ogea, lotofa, santa maria, African celtis. These tropical timber names may not yet trip off the tongue of the average European wood user but, according to suppliers, they are set to become more familiar with them, and more besides.

The dynamics of the tropical timber sector are changing. As emerging markets develop an appetite for the material, availability of established species is tightening. In conjunction, demand is rising for timber that is legally and environmentally verified. As a result, suppliers say their customers will have to be persuaded to accept these less familiar varieties – and many are already devoting increasing efforts to the persuasion process.

The same factors are prompting others to direct their efforts at cultivating custom for faster-grown plantation tropical varieties.

And not only are individual companies focused on this market development. Two major industry and NGO-backed projects are also now under way to promote the potential of lesser-known tropical species (LKTS).

Among those becoming increasingly active in this area is Lathams Direct Timber (LDT).

"The impetus for us is less the particular performance or aesthetic qualities of these new timbers, more the restricted volumes, price pressures and, in some instances, legality issues in other species," said manager Vicki Link.

LDT, she added, had recently added several new lines. "We’ve introduced kapur decking to widen our range and offer an entry level hardwood and tiama to offer another redwood option, given restricted volumes and increased prices for sapele. We’ve also added FSC movingui – a certified and more affordable alternative to iroko. Generally we’re looking at more FSC products, which are increasingly seen as the route to satisfying EU Timber Regulation requirements and easing pressure on more controversial species and supply regions."

Belgium-based Vandecasteele is also developing its portfolio. "Recent additions include FSC basrolocus, FSC bilinga and FSC guariuba," said export manager Genevieve Standaert. "The basrolucus from Suriname and Brazilian Guariuba are used for cladding, while the bilinga, from Congo Brazzaville, is also perfect for decking."

Vandecasteele, she added, was now "constantly looking for new products".

"We increasingly need to introduce alternatives to diversify the harvest. There’s a growing international market for tropical hardwoods, with both India and China in particular increasing consumption. So we have to get used to a wider range."

Mike Bekin of Ecochoice agreed.

"Global demand will make it harder for Europeans to obtain the popular species in the size and specification they require," he said. "And it may also be easier for the supplier to sell to these developing new markets, which potentially won’t make the same demands in terms of quality, grading legality and sustainability."

Recent arrivals at Ecochoice include Brazilian angelim and cupiuba and West African opepe and tali, all FSC-certified, exterior-use species and variously targeted at cladding, decking and marine applications.

Brand loyalty
The challenge in selling these, said Mr Bekin, was overcoming customers’ ‘brand loyalty’ to old favourites, such as greenheart and ipe for marine use.

"The building trade must focus on performance and suitability, leaving timber suppliers to suggest the best species available, to make the most of what the forest has to offer."

A key route for achieving this, he maintained, was to highlight LKTS’s performance in specific applications.

"A great example for us was the recent use of Cameroonian FSC eveuss for decking in the refurbishment of London’s Albert Bridge," he said. "We delivered this in half-lap profile and kiln-dried and it went through exhaustive testing and environmental scrutiny by Kensington & Chelsea Borough Council."

To date, said NHG managing director Nick Goodwin, the UK had "regrettably turned a blind eye to alternative species".

"We sell 85 species to 65 countries, but the UK has been resistant to change and most people still demand sapele, framire and iroko," he said. "But they continue to do so at their peril. Particularly in Africa, the world’s hardwood breadbasket with over 500 species, we must make best use of what is available. Demand is growing and you can’t keep increasing production of a handful of species. There’s still an assumption the old favourites will always be around. But they won’t."

Alternatives promoted by NHG are dahoma/dabema for iroko, movingui for framire and mixed redwoods for sapele.

"Sapele can also be substituted by mahogany and okoumé for certain applications," said Mr Goodwin. "And if you’re just going to paint hardwoods, you should definitely look at mixed redwoods."

Need for promotion
He believes UK conversion to alternatives will be slow, but must happen. "To speed up the process we need more promotion, but I’d also like to see pressure for government stimulus, which should be a prospect given the potential benefits to developing producer countries and the environment."

International Timber has added two new Malaysian species: lightweight, stable acacia for joinery timber and nemesu, for joinery and cladding. And product director John Dowd sees "significant potential for futher innovation in tropical hardwood" where new varieties tick both technical and environmental boxes.

Wijma UK is also focused on "introducing alternatives to get a better yield from the forest" and, said Ad Wesselink, managing director of Dutch parent Wijma Kampen, has already had UK success with FSC okan and eveuss, species he sees as "both alternatives and additions" to established varieties.

"And we’ve built on this since winning a place on the UK Environment Agency framework for hardwood supply for marine applications, which actively promotes lesserused species," he said. "[This has led to us] supplying FSC eveuss for bridges and coastal projects in Pevensey and Sandown and okan for lock maintenance on the Thames."

Timbmet also acknowledges that bringing on LKTSs is a challenge. But its "notable success" has been Red Grandis plantation eucalyptus, its "hardwood of the future".

"It takes significant, sustained effort to introduce new species, but Red Grandis is a stand-alone exception and a growing market for us," said head of environment Chris Cox. "It’s an alternative to non-certified tropical timbers, like sapele and meranti, and widens our offer."

Essentially, Red Grandis is tropical hardwood made simple – a package, says Timbmet, of proven performance and sustainability. It’s billed as 100% FSC certified, uniform, easy to machine, low waste and available in long, wide boards, mouldings and engineered products. "It can also be painted or stained to look like other species," said Mr Cox.

While natural forest-grown LKTSs may never be quite such a straightforward proposition, the two new NGO and trade initiatives are confident of making them an easier sell.

The WWF Global Forest Trade Network (GFTN), which includes 209 big name traders, manufacturers and retailers worldwide, this month released a new guide to 50 alternative species. Initially available to GFTN members, it will go public in the autumn. It lists more popular species and their LKTS substitutes, together with the latter’s applications. Users can then drill down to detailed performance data.

Healthy business model
GFTN UK co-ordinator James Horne said that, besides being better environmentally, harvesting a wider species portfolio makes for a healthier business model for forest managers.

"So helping secure these varieties’ access to high value markets – in combination with FSC certification – could make responsible forest management more viable."

In the Netherlands, meanwhile, a consortium of the FSC and importers Wijma, Dekkerhout, Lionex, Houthandel van Dam and Precious Woods has identified 15 FSC-certified LKTS with best market prospects from a 100-strong long-list provided by partner companies in the government-backed Initiative for Sustainable Trade (IDH). Most are South American and African, but with some Asian species and all are now undergoing extensive interior and exterior performance evaluation.

The aim, said project leader Andries van Eckeveld, is not only to provide the trade with more commercial options (and availability was a key criterion in species selection), but also to further the certification cause.

"The more FSC LKTS sold, the wider certification costs can be spread," he said. "This way buyers and consumers will contribute to FSC certification and sustainable forest management."

The LKTS will also be tested in pilot projects, with the companies involved joining in a marketing campaign in 2014. "The flow of timber can then start and the partners and the market do their job," said Mr van Eckeveld.

Initially, the project will be Netherlands focused. "But the ultimate aim is to introduce the LKTS to other EU countries," said Mr van Eckeveld.