FEATURES
The supply chain for timber starts in the plantation where the timber is cut and loaded on trucks.
• Orders cancelled without notice
Orders for imported wood can be cancelled
somewhere along the supply chain without prior
notice if you do not buy from a reputable supplier.
• Rainy seasons
Tree harvesting can be delayed by heavy rainy seasons
or unseasonal rain.
• Port congestion
Consignments can be delayed when too many
containers are waiting at a port to be shipped or
downloaded.
• Trans-shipping
Containers are often not transported along the
shortest route to the buyer and can change direction a
few times before it lands in your port, causing delays
in delivery.
• Complicated import regulations and customs
inspections
Containers can wait for days if not weeks in port to be
inspected and cannot be moved until this is done.
Incorrect import permits can also cause delays.
• Untested suppliers
New suppliers could be a challenge if they cannot
deliver what they promised.
• Funding requirements, including paying for timber
in advance
Local stockists are required to pay for timber before it
is delivered and sometimes up to a year or more before
they are able to sell it.
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• A volatile exchange rate
Due to the long delivery times in some cases, the
exchange rate could mean that suppliers have to pay
much more for timber than they budgeted for.
• Communication difficulties
Not all suppliers speak English and some suppliers do
not have reliable internet connections.
“We have to plan way in advance to overcome these
challenges,” Harcourt-Wood says, “but our aim is always to
ensure that we have sufficient stock on hand, so these
challenges do not impact our customers, who are usually
operating on much tighter timescales.”
Nolte says finding reliable suppliers who offer quality
products is important for the successful importing of
timber products. “Competent knowledge of the products is
crucial for marketing and pricing them correctly. The
stability of the rand obviously has a great effect on the
viability of importing timber, while good management of
the complete supply chain is of utmost importance.”
SUSTAINABLE CHOICES
Although timber is a renewable resource and a better
choice because production is less hard on the environment,
it is still important to make sustainable choices. Sustainable
timber is harvested from well-managed natural forests or
grown in managed plantations to prevent damage to eco
See more on page 50