UAE wood imports cross AED 5.2 billion

Statistics from the department of Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation (PCFC) reveal that imports and re-exports of all types of timber into the region are at an all time high; a demand that has increased the need for specialist woodworking machinery and tools.

Melanie Beese, Exhibition Manager for the Messe Frankfurt Hardware and Tools trade fair that opens next month, is in no doubt that the frenetic pace of development taking place across the region is seeing the demand for timber reach record levels. "The numerous infrastructure and building projects seen in the Emirates and across the Middle East has led to a phenomenal demand for wood-based industries and woodworking products," she says.

"We are seeing record amounts of all types of wood and wood related commodities being used in the construction industry, products that include; hardwood, softwood, plywood, veneers, parquet, laminates and MDF. This need is obviously having a knock-on effect for subsidiary industries and we are seeing an increased requirement for specialist woodworking machinery and tools for this area; equipment such as lathes, sanders, sawblades, laminators and dovetailing jigs to work with the raw materials,"

she adds.

The UAE has always imported wood and wood products; commerce that grew around its traditional industry of dhow building. Early trade involved the shipping of teak from India to manufacture the boats' hulls and keels, but following the construction boom of the last forty years, wood is now sourced from all over the globe; with the major suppliers coming from a diverse array of destinations that include the African continent, Malaysia, Indonesia, Canada, the US, Chile and China.

Figures from PCFC estimate that in 2005, wood imports from these and other countries grew by 34 per cent to reach AED 5.2 billion with flooring imports alone registering an astonishing 1,345 per-cent rise.

The US is a significant exporter to the region and according to a US Department of Agriculture report, the country exported AED2.4 billion of soft-wood lumber to the Middle East in 2005, a 123 per-cent increase since 2001. Last year, American hardwood exports to the UAE topped nearly AED 25.7million, with lumber constituting the bulk of this trade. Analysts believe that these figures represent the region's transfer into a major wood importer and consumer. It isn't just the quantities of wood being brought into the UAE that have scaled new heights over the past couple of years.

Re-export figures also grew substantially in 2005, with the total value amounting to AED 1.6billion - an increase of 32.5 per cent over the previous year. The statistics suggest that the country is now also a primary trading hub for the regional wood industry.

Ms. Beese believes that the Hardware and Tools show that takes place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre is well placed to reflect the growth of this specific sector of the industry. "We have a number of new wood machining manufacturers and equipment suppliers exhibiting this year and have received greater than ever interest from the woodworking industry in our exhibition," she says.

"This recognises the upward trend of this segment of the construction industry, which has increased exponentially over the past few years. We have had to expand our available floorspace to accommodate representatives from woodworking tool manufacturers keen to take advantage of the new business opportunities that are afforded them across the region," she adds.

This year's Hardware and Tools trade fair will run from May 13-15, in conjunction with five other shows; the ISH Kitchen and Bathroom show, the Light Middle East exhibition, the Hometech Middle East and Garden and Landscaping Middle East and Toy Fair Middle East exhibition. More than 18,000 visitors are expected to visit the five shows over the three days.