Veneer, the new cocoa?

Are we running out of dense large diameter logs? Are we seeing any changes in the forestry trend of “grow fast and harvest” on a fundamental level? Is the good quality raw material growing in certain areas globally? As the suitable raw material is getting scarcer, does it mean wood veneer will turn into a “luxury” product as has happened to cocoa? Which industries will be the winners (i.e. pulp & paper/sawmills/veneer-based businesses/energy sector)? How climate change is affecting plantation forests globally? Are we going to see bug infestations, fungi, etc. in areas where those haven’t been seen before? Where the suitable raw material will be found in the future? Is there anything we can do to protect the raw material from these threats? These among many others are topics we would like to shed light on the future of wood veneer.

KEYNOTE
Mr Peichen Gong

Peichen Gong is professor of forest economics at the Department of Forest Economics of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU). His area of expertise is forest economics. His research interests include forestry decision analysis under conditions of risk and uncertainty, multiple-use forest management planning, forest carbon sequestration, and forest sector modeling and policy assessment.

Future of veneer business

How the future of veneer production looks like? What kind of talent do you need in the future mill? Will veneer be peeled by companies specialized in veneer production or will plywood and LVL producers invest more in veneer production? How do log export bans affect where the veneer will be produced? Is data and AI the solution for utilizing scarce raw material to its most? Who defines what kind of veneer needs to be produced in the future? These among many others are topics we would like to shed light on the future of the veneer business.

KEYNOTE
Mr Jussi Silventoinen

Jussi Silventoinen has 27 years of experience in the wood products industry from all around the world. He has worked and lived both in North America and Europe and has also completed consulting projects in Asia, South America, Africa, and Russia. Jussi has an in-depth knowledge of lumber, engineered wood, veneer, plywood, and other panels both from the market and operations perspective. He has held management positions in consulting firms and currently works in an advisory capacity for Raute and holds a board position in a forestry consulting company BCon Ltd.