Two B.C. Wood Projects Announced

Monday, February 09, 2009 08:51 AM

BEIJING - The Shanghai government has formally approved a B.C.-designed roofing system as part of a plan to renovate 10,000 city apartment buildings in the lead-up to the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai.

"Shanghai officials have recognized that building with wood is cost-effective, energy-efficient, and good for the environment," says Minister of Forests and Range, Pat Bell. With this approval, B.C. wood producers now have access to a market for as many as 10,000 new roofs over the next two years." Bell says B.C. hopes to garner at least half of that market which is expected to need 1.6 billion board feet of lumber.

The approval applies to a wood truss roofing system designed by Chinese officials. The trusses would be constructed in China.

There was a second positive announcement today from the Ministry of Forests. A B.C. company has landed a contract to build 48 pre fab buildings for Mongolia. It's a $4 million dollar contract that will see the townhouse and apartment style units panelized in the Cowichan Valley by the Pacific Homes division of Pacific Building Systems , containerized and shipped to Mongolia. The Mongolian government has also asked for training on construction. The products for the units will be likely B.C. coastal forest product.

In the first nine months of 2008, exports of B.C. wood products to China were more than for all of 2007 and were valued at more than $166 million, Minister Bell is still waiting for the fourth quarter results.

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Posted on Monday, February 09, 2009 08:51 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Shellshadow on February 9 2009 9:03 AM

FINALLY!! Some good news. What about the India market? Is there something there we could look at? We need to move away from depending on the USA as our only market. :}

Posted by: netsurfer on February 9 2009 9:40 AM

This is good news but how long will it be before they start manufacturing their own with our exported raw materials?

Posted by: DPJ on February 9 2009 9:53 AM

Knowing the Chinese people, probably 2 years.

Posted by: dirtcheap on February 9 2009 9:58 AM

Nice news story...Until we hear about someone actually going back to work, we will not be holding our breath.Ya.... and by the way, No More Raw Log Exports

Posted by: metalman on February 9 2009 1:44 PM

That is not a good news story, it is merely short term gain for a few B.C. workers and companies, not to mention great justification for cabinet ministers to take a trip to China. I don't know if Hamburger Patty realizes that we won't be sending finished products and expertise over there for very long. It's great that some of us can benefit from this for now, but there is no long term gain for B.C.
metalman.

Posted by: lostfaith on February 9 2009 1:58 PM

"In the first nine months of 2008, exports of B.C. wood products to China were more than for all of 2007 and were valued at more than $166 million, Minister Bell is still waiting for the fourth quarter results."

What are the numbers for raw log exports?

Posted by: dirtcheap on February 9 2009 2:12 PM

lostfaith;You hit the nail right on the head.They give us numbers that mean nothingso that we will think they are doing such a great job...Ya lets hear how much of that $166 million was from Raw Log Exports!!

Posted by: lostfaith on February 9 2009 3:51 PM

I would be thinking raw log exports are a teeny bit more than 166 Million.

Posted by: gus on February 9 2009 5:22 PM

"The approval applies to a wood truss roofing system designed by Chinese officials. The trusses would be constructed in China."

This is no different than sending lumber to the US. Does anyone really think that we send masses of trusses to the US? It would be ridiculous to send a bunch of air contained between the web members of a truss by container. Process the logs here, use the waste for pulp, panels and energy and ship the lumber.

We don't even machine stress rate and machine evaluate lumber here as far as I know. Even the trusses we make here use lumber from the south. In fact, when Trusco was around they used to get their some or all of their stress rated lumber from the USA.

You want to sell added value products to the rest of the world? Increase the capacity to create the value added the world is looking for.

Posted by: Windigo on February 9 2009 5:28 PM

Where is the milling for this 1.6 million board feet going to take place Mr Bell? Mackenzie and Fort St. James would be good options don't you think?.....almost 100% unemployment in these two communities.

Posted by: Palopu on February 9 2009 5:50 PM

Actually there is no reason to beleive that any of the lumber for the trusses will come from BC. I suspect that it could be supplied from any Province, and of course from the USA, that is unless Pat and the boys got some kind of a contract, which isnt indicated in the press release.

BC hopes to garner half of the 1.6 Billion board feet. Who will get the other half?? Are we competitive?? Is there any system in place that would indicate down the road if in fact we get any of this business??.

There is a hell of a difference in having an available market, and actually showing the amount of lumber supplied to that market.

Posted by: kevin1006 on February 9 2009 6:43 PM

Posted by: dogs on February 9 2009 8:21 PM

Firstly what is wrong with log exports? Secondly better get your money up front in a escrow account prior to selling to China= LC's are little good.

Posted by: northman on February 10 2009 10:08 AM

kevin1006 didnt get the memo that Planet Of The Apes is fiction. Stupid humans.....

Posted by: Dr.Doom on February 11 2009 12:24 PM

dogs...."what is wrong with log exports"...ladies and gentleman we have an entry for the most misinformed comment of the year....I am sure Gordy Campbell is proud

Posted by: Dr.Doom on February 11 2009 12:33 PM

dogs...."what is wrong with log exports"...ladies and gentleman we have an entry for the most misinformed comment of the year....I am sure Gordy Campbell is proud