In March of 2013 the European Union's Timber Regulation (EUTR) legislation went into effect. Simply put, EUTR is Europe's version of the US Lacey Act as it relates to lumber production. There are similarities between the two laws and a lot of differences. For instance, EUTR does consider certifications (FSC®/PEFC) and verifications (TLTV/VLO) as risk mitigation when conducting "due diligence," … [Read more...] about EU Timber Regulation Provides Lacey Act Guidance
Search Results for: lacey act
Lacey Act Compliance Becomes a Little Less Cloudy
It has been more than a year since we wrote about the Lacey Act. What then was something not many people had heard about, let alone understood, has now become front page news since the seizure of material from Gibson Guitars. With 60% of our business in importing exotic hardwoods, we were riveted to the details of this case and wondered how the vaguely worded legislation would be enforced. The … [Read more...] about Lacey Act Compliance Becomes a Little Less Cloudy
A Real Life Lacey Act Example
We have mentioned several times that we often visit our lumber mills around the world to ensure quality and legality. On a recent trip to Peru, our exotic buyer, Caroline McIlvain got a look at some beautiful Genuine Mahogany. She also came face to face with a pack of lumber that we bought but was never exported. This was some time ago so all the details are a little fuzzy, but I thought it was … [Read more...] about A Real Life Lacey Act Example
The Lacey Act Holds Everyone Responsible for Legal Lumber
Last week we talked about regulating the tropical forests and international organizations like CITES. These factors are important to consider as the lumber is harvested, processed, and exported to the US. Once that lumber hits our shores, a different kind of regulation, called The Lacey Act, kicks in that is unique to the US. This regulation holds everyone in the supply chain … [Read more...] about The Lacey Act Holds Everyone Responsible for Legal Lumber
How Much Will My Lumber Cost?
This is a question that probably is asked several thousand times a second in the lumber business. No matter whether the customer is buying hardwood, softwood, plywood, or even a milled wood product, it all comes down to, "How much will it cost?" I think the lumber industry has developed a bad reputation for keeping its cards too close to the vest on price, much to the chagrin of its customers. I … [Read more...] about How Much Will My Lumber Cost?
Why J Gibson McIlvain
Over the last 6-8 months I have spoken with many of our customers and our sales staff in an effort to understand our place in the market and why people buy from us. The stories and feedback I got were powerful and helped to crystallize some points that have been running around my head for several months relating to why someone should use J Gibson McIlvain as their wood supplier. In every … [Read more...] about Why J Gibson McIlvain
Sapele Wood is the Cream of the African Mahogany Market
Easily one of the most popular hardwoods in our inventory in the last year has been Sapele. Each day we get requests for quotes and the Sapele species page on this site is one of the most clicked on. In my opinion all of this attention is justified as Sapele is an outstanding African species that is only gaining in popularity because of it's ease of use in so many applications. Sapele has long … [Read more...] about Sapele Wood is the Cream of the African Mahogany Market
Ipe Wood Decking Quality Control
We pride ourselves on high standards for quality control. Every stick of lumber we sell has been thoroughly inspected and graded multiple times for stability, appearance, and consistency. In many instances we inspect our lumber with customer specifications in mind to exactly meet the demands of the particular job. Decking products pose a problem however as they are milled and moulded in Brazil … [Read more...] about Ipe Wood Decking Quality Control
The Importer of Record
Over the last 4 weeks, we have talked about the regulations, obstacles, penalties, and relationships required to import lumber. It is a bumpy road from forest to your job site and to wrap up our series on lumber importing and the implications to the buyer and the environment, I wanted to offer a solution that should make all of this a whole lot easier. Buy your lumber from the Importer of … [Read more...] about The Importer of Record
CITES and Lumber Import Regulation
Last week we talked about how the lumber import business is actually keeping the rainforests vibrant and well managed. As lumber importers we need to be very aware of how government regulation will change the way we do business. Not only how processes change, but who is responsible, and liable, for what. Navigating this quagmire is our job as the importer of record, but we also want our … [Read more...] about CITES and Lumber Import Regulation
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The Long and Winding Road of African Hardwood Export
We love African hardwoods. As regulation and grade inconsistencies rise for Mahogany coming out of South America, we are advising more and more of our customers to consider Mahogany alternatives from Africa like Khaya (African Mahogany), Sapele, and Utile (also known as Sipo). The availability of wider and longer African hardwood boards is much greater, the species are more durable and hold … [Read more...] about The Long and Winding Road of African Hardwood Export
Just Because it is Certified Doesn’t Mean It’s Legal Lumber
Much ink has been spilled in the last week on the raids at the Gibson Guitar factory over "illegal" Indian wood. The most startling element is that the wood in question was FSC® certified and had all of it's CITES documentation. This begs the question, "Do I need alternate or additional certification to protect myself?" This is something that J. Gibson McIlvain has been looking in to for many … [Read more...] about Just Because it is Certified Doesn’t Mean It’s Legal Lumber
