The shipment from B.C. included engineered wood products from Penticton’s Stucturlam; hemlock, Douglas fir and yellow cedar lumber supplied by Surrey’s Coast Clear Wood as well as donated lumber from the Coast Forest Products Association.
In 2016, the India team completed work on their first commercial demonstration project in India to use Canadian wood. The 1,970 square foot private residence features extensive use of wood species from B.C.
After establishing a head office and wood products showroom in Mumbai with the BC Ministry of International Trade, the India team now has small satellite locations in New Delhi and Bangalore to be closer to customers in the north and south of India.
FII India staff continue to develop marketing material targeting audiences in different regions of India. Advertisements raise the profile of Canadian lumber with manufacturers, while on-site collateral at trade shows increases awareness of Canadian species at some of the largest wood product events in the country.
In 2016/17, the India team facilitated several tours to help advance market development efforts in India. Participants included representatives from the Province of B.C., the Government of Canada and industry.
FII India hosted a networking event “Explore Business Opportunities with Canadian Wood” in December at the FII display centre in Mumbai, with B.C. Minister of Finance Michael de Jong as the guest of honour.
Product trials have emerged as a highly successful means to engage with and motivate Indian manufacturers to try something different—and then convert or augment existing or new production to Canadian species.
In association with India’s Festival of Architecture & Interior Designing, FII India sponsored Wood is Good 2016, a furniture design competition for students of architecture and product design from leading colleges.
Various wood product manufacturers have successfully experimented with B.C. and Canadian wood species through FII-led product trials using wood samples provided by the forest industry and Canada Wood.
On February 13, 2016 FII India participated in the Vibrant Kutch event held in India's westernmost state of Gujarat.
In November, 2015 FII India participated in a three day event in Gandhinagar to highlight B.C. and Canada as a trusted source for certified (PEFC/FSC) solid wood lumber sourced from sustainably managed forests.
FII completed and inaugurated an exclusive first-of-its-kind display centre in Mumbai. The 1,300 square foot space highlights how to build with wood from sustainable and certified forests.
Canadian Wood Program”, which is providing qualified Indian manufacturers with small volumes of B.C. wood as well as technical support for inclusion in new or existing product lines. Several trials were completed over the past year with established manufacturers of windows, doors and furniture.
FII India organized a Woodworking professionals Meet in Mumbai which showcased the versatility of Canadian Wood species - Western Hemlock, Yellow-Cedar, Douglas-fir, SPF and Western Red Cedar.
In October, 2015 FII India participated in Mumbai Wood to showcase the versatility of Canadian wood species. The FII India booth featured lumber samples, product applications and finished products. In February, 2016, FII India participated in IndiaWood 2016. To highlight the versatility and aesthetics of Canadian wood, FII India and B.C. companies created several “experience zones”.
Canadian Wood showcased sustainable, certified wood varieties from Canada to be used in furniture, doors, door frames and other interior applications.
A delegation of 17 Canadian lumber companies’ visit to India has put the spotlight on certified lumber from sustainably managed sources in Canada.
To create brand recognition, FII India – considered a centre of knowledge regarding softwood species – has delivered several seminars to Indian audiences.
FII India staff developed marketing material for use in channels targeting various audiences. Advertisements raised the profile of Canadian lumber with manufacturers, while pre-conference e-mail advertisements created awareness of FII India’s presence at trade shows.
After establishing FII India in mid-2012, a decision was made to secure undeveloped office space rather than prefinished space.
FII India’s seminar program is proving a key vehicle in raising awareness of the features of B.C. species, teaching local manufacturers, architects and importers about the properties of B.C. wood, and about which species are suited for specific applications.
In a market such as India, government-to-government relations are an important dimension of trade development. India and Canada are in the process of negotiating a Free Trade Agreement which will be an important step in our future trading relationship.
B.C. forestry companies and trade associations sent 17 representatives to the IndiaWood Trade Show in early 2014, reflecting growing industry interest in the emerging Indian market.
In 2012/13, FII established a subsidiary company in Mumbai to lead a new market development program aimed at introducing B.C. and Canadian wood products to the potentially large Indian market.