More than 70 women from a range of Dutch and Belgian timber, forestry and woodworking companies came together recently for the Wood wants women 2009 tour.
Organised by Dutch timber trade magazine Houtwereld, the women were given a guided tour of the production, warehousing and distribution facilities of Jéwé, of Gorinchem, a supplier to the DIY sector.
They then listened to an interview with Geneviève Standaert of Vandecasteele Houtimport in Belgium, who said that the right timber species and quality needed to be used in the right end use specification.
She also told them that the whole timber trade had to escape from what she called the “grey business area”, and make sure that all timber and timber products were legal and could be traced back to sustainable managed forests.
The women used the afternoon and the rest of the evening for net-working and to discuss business opportunities.
