The man credited with unifying the European wood industry and the chief executive of one of the world’s most successful generic wood promotion campaigns will be among a high-powered lineup of international speakers at the Global Vision conference in Rotorua, on 8 March 2006.

A powerful new force in the increasingly competitive international furniture exhibition business emerged in July with the news that the Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) had turned its flagship show (IFFS) into a private company, and sold 40% to a global events organiser.

The Australasian manufactured wood industry has become complacent and is pretty lousy at promoting its products. That was the overwhelming impression to emerge from the first joint conference of the Australian Timber Importers Federation (ATIF) and the New Zealand Pine Manufacturers (PMA), at Twin Waters in late July.

When the New Zealand Wood Innovation Centre opens in central Shanghai in November, New Zealand Inc will finally join the Canadians, Finns, Americans, Chileans et al in having a national presence in China.

In this edition we feature a new series on the Malaysian forestry and wood products sectors photographed and written by Inwood publisher Tony Neilson. Part I focuses on resource, sustainable forestry and harvesting developments. Part II (October/November edition) will cover processing, furniture, design and market development. Both reports are based on a week-long study in Peninsular Malaysia. Evaluation of operations in Sabah and Sarawak is planned for subsequent issues.

The official line on Malaysia’s recently introduced ban on rubberwood timber exports is that too much of a scarce commodity is coming back into the country as low-price furniture from China.

It is difficult not to feel cynical about the huge global business that the timber certification industry has become. Many believe it is the only thing that will save our natural forests from destruction. Others argue that it is the world’s most effective non-tariff barrier against tropical wood products.

There is no question that Malaysia has a few skeletons in its illegal logging cupboard, but of far greater significance is a new political resolve to clean up its act and take a tougher line with those tarnishing its reputation.