Other Markets
India
India is a complex, diverse and fragmented country. However, there is growing interest from the B.C. industry in develop niche opportunities for B.C. wood products. Thanks to longstanding work by Canada Wood Group, in early 2011, India amended its plant-health import controls so that they better accommodate Canadian SPF and western red cedar products.
Since 2005 FII has invested in research in the India market to identify and quantify opportunities for B.C. products. In 2011 FII revised its research in India and indentified niche opportunities for B.C. lumber products to target a nascent but fast growing market for western style products. This included opportunities for softwood lumber to displace hardwoods in specific applications, and to position Coastal and/or Interior species as alternatives to radiata pine in remanufacturing.
Interest in this market has been growing for some time and there are indications that the time may be right to pursue this market more agressively. Over the last few years trade has been growing rapidly although off a very small base. In 2010 total exports of softwood lumber to India were only 11,707 cubic metres. However, by June 2011 the year to date total was already 38,400 cubic metres more than 500 percent higher than the same period the previous year.
Mongolia
Significant progress was made in 2010-11 on introducing wood frame construction to Mongolia. Demonstration projects, training for the nascent wood frame construction industry and quality assurance support were provided by FII and its partners. Building on Mongolia’s adoption of Canada’s wood frame construction code and methods, FII is assisting its national government with implementing a plan to build 96 large Soum Centres to create government and commercial infrastructure in many locations. This is expected to prove the economic and other merits of using B.C. wood products for residential and non-residential construction.
New commercial projects commissioned in early 2011 by the Mongolian government will be supported with quality assurance and design assistance from B.C. FII will continue to identify and support opportunities for wood frame construction in social housing, community centres and municipal buildings to support the government’s plan to provide modern housing for some three-quarters of a million people, and the anticipated mining boom in Mongolia.
New product opportunities
FII supports product development and innovation through New Product Opportunities funding. Mid-rise construction, CLT and innovative hybrid building systems are the focus for these investments, which are managed in consultation with key stakeholder organizations.
In 2011 FII’s investments focused on completing technical work that will lead to development of new applications for cross laminated timber. Stress testing and mapping the performance of CLT under different conditions has opened new commercial opportunities in B.C., especially in the non-residential construction sector. Moving forward the focus will shift to further developing these commercial opportunities while continuing technical work on other new construction technologies, such as hybrid construction.
Research, testing, and technical outreach activities funded through this program are undertaken by universities, research institutes, and associations that are best positioned to do so. These investments support the development of innovative, high-potential products in B.C.
For a list of FII-funded research reports on emerging markets, click here
For an overview of FII’s immediate need housing project in Mongolia, click here.
For access to current monthly export reports for all of FII’s markets of interest, including Australia, New Zealand, India, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam, click here.
