Sweden has exported three million cu m of wood to the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, valued at €750 million ($797.3 million), according to an expert.

One-fourth of this export goes to the UAE estimated at €187.5 million ($201.3 million), underlining the position of the UAE market as a re-export centre, according to Jan Soderlind, international director of Swedish Wood.

Swedish Wood is among the exhibitors at the ongoing Dubai WoodShow, which also features a wide array of latest wood products from the US, Canada, Malaysia and China.

The Swedish presence at the leading wood show, which is an annual meeting point for producers, manufacturers, importers, exporters, dealers, suppliers and end-users and other players in the wood industry, represents 70 per cent of the total producers of Swedish wood.

“We look at the UAE as a hub to boost our exports of wood to all over the region. We compete with Russia and Finland in exporting wood to the Middle East. Swedish products are of very high quality as they follow high-end technologies in terms of cutting,” said Soderlind.

“We are the second largest producers of wood in Europe, after Germany, with a production capacity of 17 million cu m. However, our domestic consumption does not exceed five million cu m, leaving 12 million cu m for exports, which makes us the biggest wood exporter in Europe. The Mena region takes one-fourth of that surplus (three million cu m).”

Josine Heijmans, exhibition director of the Dubai WoodShow, said: “Dubai WoodShow 2015 has a strong participation of global exhibitors, representatives of associations and commercial boards, as well as a large number of visitors, including architects, interior designers, furniture manufacturers.”

The demand for hardwood in the Middle East is high, being a major timber-consuming market, where wood is used in real estate projects as an alternative to other building materials that were prevalent in the past.

“The UAE is a major hub for the timber trade in the Gulf region through Dubai. Sustainability was a major highlight on the second day of Dubai Woodshow 2015 where products being showcased in the exhibition included wood, woodworking machinery, blades, knives, tools, abrasives and other related products,” added Heijmans. - TradeArabia News Service