US exports are experiencing shifting markets as cheap labour moves from China to its neighbouring countries, according to industry newsletter Random Lengths International.
South-east Asia is the most notably shifting market according to Random Lengths’ figures, with exports to South Korea and Taiwan rising against declines in China and the Philippines.
Random Lengths reports this is due to China’s advantage of cheap labour weakening in recent times, and thus labour-intensive lumber remanufacturing moving to new areas.
Japan’s position as the main importer of US timber is also having an effect, with some traders reporting more imports directly from the US, bypassing countries such as the Philippines.
Middle eastern markets are also evolving for US exporters, with Egypt, Libya, Pakistan and Israel on the up.
However, US softwood export volumes to Spain and the UK fell sharply in the six months to June, to 5 and 4 million board feet respectively
Overall, US softwood exports fell to 292.7 million board feet in the first half of 2008, with overseas exports falling by 8% to 210 million board feet.
