Visitor numbers were up at the Carrefour International du Bois (CIB) timber show in Nantes France, last week and exhibitors said the event provided further evidence that the international wood trade is emerging from recession.
According to spokesperson Cecile Touret, preliminary figures show a 5% rise in attendance at the exhibition from June 2-4 over the last event in 2008.
“Our first calculation is that we had well over 10,000 people – and the Wednesday and Thursday, in particular, were very, very busy,” she said. “We haven’t analysed the statistics fully yet, but exhibitors I’ve spoken to also had the impression we had an increase in the proportion of foreign visitors too – and in 2008 they made up 15% of the total.”
Exhibitor numbers this year were around 500, she added, with nearly a quarter from outside France.
Belgian-based international hardwood trader Carpentier, exhibiting under its new streamlined “Carpentier Hardwood Solutions” banner, reported seeing visitors from Spain, Portugal, the UK, Holland and its home market, and suppliers from as far afield as Brazil.
“We’re very satisfied with the results,” said Heidi Carpentier. “The market is still competitive, but certainly better than 2009.”
French hardwood specialist Ducerf, which was highlighting its new Coteparc range of heat-treated cladding (the result of a €2m investment in kilning technology), was also upbeat.
“Business could still be better, but it is improving, with China buying again thanks to the strong dollar and England coming back into the market, particularly for [laminated] panel products,” said export director Florence Perrucaud.
The high number of product launches at the show included a new exterior grade LamWood glulam from Piveteau Bois, and grey natural-oil finished Infineo cladding from Sivalbp, designed to give homogenous weathering. French oak specialist Eurochene unveiled untreated and thermoprocessed acacia decking.
