Japan Lumber Importers Association Annual Meeting

Fifteen representatives from private industry, lumber associations, state trade promotion offices, and academia joined the annual SEC-JLIA exchange in December. Now in its thirty first year, the meeting included one of the largest and most diverse groups to attend in several years. Experts on softwood lumber grading, engineered wood products, and softwood pellets fielded questions from JLIA members and provided in-depth information that contributed to the discussions.

The JLIA meeting has been instrumental in helping US exporters establish and maintain relationships with large Japanese importers and pre-cutters. The meeting and reception also provides a platform for SEC and JLIA members to discuss market trends and issues of concern.

Unspoken JLIA issues included declining European softwood log and lumber prices and declining Canadian lumber supply. According to the Japan Lumber Report, JLIA members had an uncharacteristically direct conversation with a delegation of Canadian lumber suppliers a month earlier about high prices and limited supply from Canada.