Import/Export Wood Purchasing News - December 2023/January 2024

BC Wood's GBM Celebrates 20 Years
Photos By Zach Miller
WASHINGTON SCENE
Biden Administration Invests $653 Million In Ports To Enhance Supply Chains
climate change, sustainability, and equity.
The announced projects encompass a wide range of improvements, from enhancing
dock facilities in Alaska to expanding terminals in Washington and constructing
new ports in states like Iowa and Arkansas. Each project aims to contribute
to the overall efficiency and reliability of the nation's maritime transportation
system. n
Rav Binning, Sunny Binning, Parm Binning, Jas Binning, Raj Singh, Gulraj Binning
and John Wu, Jazz Forest Products Ltd., Abbotsford, BC
David Chiew and Steve Downie, Interfor, Vancouver, BC; and Kulraj Tiwana, Suki
Sanghera and Paul Deol, San Group Inc., Langley, BC
Additional photos on page 16
BC Wood celebrated its 20th
Annual Global Buyers Mission
recently and welcomed almost 700
delegates from all over the world
to Whistler, BC Canada. Given
the economic challenges faced by
many international markets, BC
Wood was extremely pleased with
the efforts made by those buyers
and suppliers that supported and
participated in the 2023 Global
Buyers Mission.
CEO Brian Hawrysh and new
Board Chairman John Gillis from
Centurion Lumber welcomed the
Opening Ceremony special guest
speaker, the Honorable Premier
David Eby. This is the first time
the Premier of BC has officially
opened a GBM and his comments
were well received.
This year, GBM registered international
buyers from as far away as
Austria, China, Germany, Guatemala,
Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Japan, South Korea, Netherlands,
Pakistan, Taiwan, the United Kingdom,
and the United States. Again,
many thanks were given to the
Federal Trade Commissioner Service
and BC’s Trade & Investment
Representatives from international
markets that greatly assisted with
the buyer recruiting again this year.
With their continued dedication,
there were many first-time Buyers
to the GBM, opening opportunities
for Canadian manufacturers to
develop new business.
BC Wood continued to host
North American architects, designers,
contractors, developers, engineers
and specifiers this year, to
participate in the popular accredited
WoodTALKS program, held in
conjunction with the GBM. This
included two site tours, successful
lunch and learn, and sip n’ learn
presentations by renowned archi-
Continued on page 29
The Biden administration has
allocated more than $653 million
to fund 41 port improvement
projects across the United States
through the Port Infrastructure Development
Program (PIDP). These
projects aim to enhance capacity
and efficiency at coastal seaports,
Great Lakes ports, and inland river
ports.
The port improvement projects
are expected to strengthen supply
chain reliability, create workforce
development opportunities, expedite
goods movement, and enhance
the safety, reliability, and resilience
of ports. The investments, totaling
nearly $17 billion under the
President's Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law, represent the largest
dedicated funding for ports and
waterways in U.S. history.
The U.S. Secretary of Transportation,
Pete Buttigieg, highlighted
the critical role of ports in the
nation's supply chain, emphasizing
that the investments will contribute
to cleaner air, more jobs,
and improved efficiency in goods
transportation.
The selection of projects is based
on their potential to improve
safety, efficiency, and reliability of
goods movement, as well as their
contribution to port resilience. The
grants include diverse initiatives
such as dock infrastructure replacement,
transportation system improvements,
berth reconstruction,
wharf repairs, terminal expansions,
and more, spread across various
states.
The Biden administration's focus
on port infrastructure aligns with
its commitment to improving U.S.
ports and making supply chains
more resilient to future challenges.
The projects address not only
immediate infrastructure needs but
also consider factors like economic
vitality, workforce development,
WORKING WITH
LOG BUYERS
THROUGH THE CHANGING
IMPORT/EXPORT MARKET.
KASEY CHANEY
NORTH AMERICAN & EXPORT LOG SALES
PHONE: 1-304-464-4980
EMAIL: KASEYC@YODERLUMBER.COM
LEI ZHAO
ASIAN LUMBER AND LOG SALES
PHONE: 86-1397158857
EMAIL: ZHAO@YODERLUMBER.COM
TRENT YODER
EXPORT LUMBER SALES
PHONE: 1-330-893-3121
FAX: 1-330-893-3031
EMAIL: TRENTY@YODERLUMBER.COM
WWW.ROLLINGRIDGEWOODS.COM · WWW.YODERLUMBER.COM
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