A UK Timber Trade Federation (TTF) conference on the UK hardwood market sponsored by The American Hardwood Export Council (AHEC) was held on 9 March. The conference aimed to provide a more accurate picture of the hardwood market in the UK and to inform the activities of the TTF which aims to revitalise the market development work of their National Hardwood Division (NHD) in co-operation with AHEC and other producer associations.

Statistics shown at the TTF conference indicated there has yet to be any significant switch from the US to Europe in UK temperate hardwood imports. In fact, the long-term trend in rising US share of UK hardwood imports continued last year.