China's furniture faces pressure supply

"Uncle Sam" trade the big stick hit the tire on the last. When the U.S. "Lacey Act" amendment to next year, go into effect April 1, the furniture will soon be enjoying similar "treatment." Amendments will require importers to import wood products plants or forest products, furniture, etc., when the legitimacy of sources of raw materials to conduct a series of declarations, or buyers and sellers could face imprisonment fate.
It is understood that, Dongguan furniture enterprises of raw materials supply chain to meet the requirements of the few.

The industry believes that the amendment imposing short-term is difficult, there may be a buffer period. furniture enterprises to purchase raw materials to prove the legitimacy of when to seek relevant and gradually diversify the export market.

The use of suspicious wood or fined

The United States in 2008 revised "Lacey Act," from April 1, 2010, the coverage will be extended to all imports of wood furniture.

According to the amendments, wood products importers in each shipping when importing plants or forest products must provide basic reporting. Report include: the Latin species name; harvesting countries; the number and size; the value of imports. If the importers do not know the procurement of materials, transport of forest products country of origin or plant name, "Lacey Act" amendment to allow the declaration of the name of each type of plant may be, possible origin.

If the product source of raw material is defined as illegal, the United States will have the right to confiscation of the product, and even the right to be imprisoned for exporters and buyers. The amendment also directly pushed up imports of U.S. wood furniture threshold.

Small furniture factories have been eliminated

The United States is China's furniture export superpower, accounting for 41% of total exports of furniture. 2008 China exports to the U.S. more than 200 billion U.S. dollars worth of furniture, including wooden furniture, some 70 billion U.S. dollars.

After the implementation of the impact of the amendment, the industry analysis generally agreed that the U.S. imports of enterprises will be reduced for fear of fine wood products imports of Chinese furniture exports will be even more difficult. Meanwhile, as the raw materials to provide proof, timber costs, wood products business operating costs, transaction costs along with increased strength of small and medium enterprises is not very likely, therefore be eliminated.

Guangrun furniture International Marketing Manager of China Hushan told reporters that the company started two years ago, globally recognized forest management chain of FSC certification, its content and the "Lacey Act" similar, I am more familiar with. "FSC supply chain requirements for raw materials is very high, so standardized to meet the" Lacey Act "role will be very soon."

However, the Chinese Hushan said, "thousands of Dongguan, furniture companies, FSC-certified company has done no more than 100 family."

Dongguan Famous furniture Club, Deputy Secretary-General Wang also said that hunting, Dongguan furniture to achieve amendment requires the enterprise is also a few companies, particularly in Africa, some of the wood from the furniture factory. "Raw material to justify the forest through forest certification, but because the cost is too high, a lot of forestry have not do it."

To obtain a copy of proof of purchase of raw materials

Dongguan exported to the U.S. furniture business, how to deal with this situation?

International Cooperation Department, Chinese Academy of Forestry Lu Wenming after reading the amendments in the media warned enterprises, since they usually have to fill in the U.S. importers exporters provide relevant materials, in many cases the ownership of the goods before the clearance has not yet transferred to the buyer, thus completing the importer of raw materials that is not only a matter of domestic enterprises must be familiar on how to complete requirements.

How to deal with the amendments proposed by Lu Wenming, furniture enterprises to enhance their environmental responsibility, and should also enhance the legal awareness, purchase of raw materials related to the legitimacy of proof when the request. In addition, the furniture industry but also improve customer relationships with the United States, there is a problem can be solved properly.

Wang hunting, said the rapid implementation of the amendment up to forest certification and other supporting, it is very difficult, so the industry are still waiting to see. Which sectors of trade barriers hit the head, but also difficult for them to have any good solution. furniture enterprises of Dongguan, in addition to efforts to adapt to the amendment of the declaration requirements, while a road is to diversify the export market, do not rely solely on the United States.

China Hushan that "the legitimacy of evidence provided to producers or exporters, but the manufacturer has to go find the timber merchants, timber merchants look for forestry, involving links too long, too broad, it takes time."