02.02.2024
The ATIBT Wood & Standardization Commission met by videoconference on January 18. The meeting covered a wide range of topics. Here is a summary.
The 12 issues of the Contracts et Practices study
The meeting began with a presentation of the 12 pamphlets produced as part of the Contracts et Practices study. This project was initially proposed by ATIBT to ITTO to finance a study on "contracts and practices in the tropical timber trade". They have now been completed and are undergoing a final review before being published on the ATIBT website. These documents cover topics such as surcharges, vocabulary applied to timber and timber products, Incoterms 2020, etc. These pamphlets may evolve as feedback is received.
Organization of ATIBT technical documentation
ATIBT's technical documentation is currently organized around the association's commissions. The commissions' themes are the anchor points for the documentary resources relayed by ATIBT and play a crucial role in the association's actions. This meeting provided an opportunity to present the video presentation of the technical publications section, and to reiterate that this documentation is a dynamic space which is continually being developed to provide the necessary information. We welcome all suggestions, ideas and proposals for adding new documents to this section of the site.
Discussion on LKTS and the collage study, as part of the ASP-Green Deal Cameroon project
This discussion was the focal point of the meeting. This study addresses the issue of wood reconstitution by gluing, linked to the valorization of LKTS (Lesser Known Timber Species). The associated issues range from upstream (the forest) to downstream (the mill). This in-depth research is divided into 2 parts:
1. A comprehensive review of current knowledge of tropical wood gluing, exploring the opportunities and constraints involved. The study will focus on technical terminology, glue typology, glue classification and standardization.
2. Synthesis of the 3 components of the ASP Cameroon project: Gluing/LKTS, Optimization of material yield in the forest and Optimization of material yield in the mill, in the form of a popularization book.
This initiative is part of a wider approach to adding value to LKTS (tropical woods) and, in addition to the technical study, a "market" approach will need to be undertaken.
Actions to be undertaken on timber for hydraulic works
Danish companies specializing in hydraulic engineering are considering the use of new species covering use class 5. To this end, they would like to carry out qualification tests or confirm the performance of certain tropical species for hydraulic works (tests of resistance to limnories, tarets, abrasion resistance). A list of interesting woods was drawn up by Mikkel Jensen of Keflico, based on results obtained in Denmark and the results of qualification work published in 2018. This list was refined and completed during this commission.
Khaya summary document
Next, this commission presented the development of a detailed summary sheet on the Khaya genus, following its recent listing in CITES Appendix II. This initiative aims to clarify the confusion surrounding the different species of this genus and to correct misinformation concerning their names and uses. A first version has been prepared and is currently being revised and improved.
The commission's recent meeting concluded with a worrying topic: the replacement of wooden sleeper supplies with plastic sleepers. This situation is accompanied by a misleading communication campaign about tropical woods, and is having an impact on wood producers. It is crucial to counter-argue with precise facts about the disadvantages of plastic. These include the production of polluting micro-particles from the friction of plastic sleepers on ballast and metal rails, the UV resistance of these materials, and so on.
The minutes and presentation are available to ATIBT members on request.
