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Seeking Cooperation Between China and Finland — Finnish Wood Industry Delegation Visits Qianchuan Wooden Doors

　　On November 16, a delegation of nine Finnish wood industry companies organized by the Finnish Sawmill Association, led by the China Timber & Wood Products Distribution Association's Timber Import and Export Branch and the Sichuan Province Door and Window Industry Association, visited Qianchuan Wooden Doors for exchange and discussion on Qianchuan's timber demand, import status, and the possibilities and cooperation of business exchanges between companies from both countries.

　　Luo Baitao, General Manager of Qianchuan Wooden Doors, received the delegation and personally led Jyrki Mantere, Director of the Finnish Wood Industry Promotion Project, the Chinese sales representatives of the nine wood companies, and association leaders to visit the Qianchuan showroom. They conducted an in-depth inspection of Qianchuan's products, including wooden doors, flooring, wall panels, and ceilings. The Finnish wood industry delegation showed great interest in the wooden products presented and inquired about the types and import sources of Qianchuan's wood raw materials.

　　In recent years, China's timber imports have shown two characteristics: first, the volume of log imports has decreased year by year, while sawn timber imports have increased. From January to June 2015, log imports were 23.1235 million cubic meters, a year-on-year decrease of 13.91%; sawn timber imports were 13.265 million cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 7.43%. Among them, imports of Finnish timber reached 291,100 cubic meters, a year-on-year increase of 52.5%. Finland's total forest area is 20.029 million hectares, accounting for 65.8% of the country's land area, with a per capita forest area of 3.9 hectares, making it the European country with the most forest land per capita. Its forests are certified under the sustainable management system PEFC certification.

　　General Manager Luo stated that Qianchuan Wooden Doors is very strict in selecting raw materials, with multiple layers of control and inspection at every step, especially for the basic wood raw materials used in production, which are widely selected and strictly managed to ensure high quality from the source.

　　Qianchuan has always understood that only by going out can it find a way forward. This applies not only to products but also to the selection of raw materials. By choosing the strengths of many, the best raw materials can be procured. International raw material procurement not only effectively reduces raw material costs but, most importantly, ensures product quality.

　　In recent years, with the continuous expansion of market demand for Qianchuan products, the import volume of Qianchuan timber has also been steadily increasing, especially sawn timber. At the Hubei Central China base, a new 400-cubic-meter drying kiln has been built to effectively control the moisture content of the wood. General Manager Luo said, "European countries have advanced productivity, a high degree of standardized production, and low-carbon, environmentally friendly materials, which are worth learning from. The construction of the Hubei Central China base is based on advanced domestic and foreign production equipment, with a very high degree of mechanization and standardization, aligning with international business." He also welcomed the Finnish wood industry delegation to visit Hubei.

　　Jyrki Mantere, Director of the Finnish Wood Industry Promotion Project, said, "Finnish wood excels in the forest." The Finnish wood industry accounts for a large proportion of the industry, and wood is Finland's fourth largest export commodity. Finnish wood is dense and has uniform grain, which is highly favored by consumers. Since Finnish wood entered the Chinese market in 2000, market demand has continued to rise. Currently, China is regarded as the future development focus of the Finnish wood industry. The Finnish Sawmill Association delegation's visit to China and Qianchuan aims to strengthen communication and cooperation with Chinese wood product companies to promote mutual understanding and business exchanges between companies from both countries. Jyrki Mantere hopes that Qianchuan Wooden Doors can visit Finland for on-site inspection and explore cooperation intentions.

　　Next, the group went deep into the workshop, visiting from the raw material warehouse to various production workshops, inspecting Qianchuan's production processes and craftsmanship, understanding the timber demand and technical characteristics of Chinese wood production enterprises, and hoping to have in-depth exchanges with Qianchuan Wooden Doors to explore cooperation possibilities.

　　After pleasant exchanges and discussions, the Finnish wood industry delegation concluded this visit and took a group photo to commemorate the occasion.