RICHMOND, Va. — The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Office of International Marketing is supporting a Virginia grown forest products exhibit at Interzum 2019 in Cologne, Germany, May 21-24. Five Virginia companies will exhibit at the show to meet and network with potential buyers of their lumber, logs, and other forest products. The five Virginia companies are Northland Forest Products Inc., The Turman Group, Robinson Lumber Company Inc., Boss Lumber and JL Gardner Hardwood.
“Europe has long been a market for Virginia hardwoods, including the quality poplar, white oak and red oak for which Virginia has become known worldwide,” said Virginia Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Bettina Ring. “I’m proud of these five Virginia companies for taking advantage of this opportunity at Interzum to foster relationships with new foreign buyers and continue to diversify their sales portfolios.”
Interzum is the world’s largest trade fair for the design and production of furniture and interiors. Staff from the VDACS European trade representative office and from the Virginia Department of Forestry will attend the show to promote Virginia grown and processed wood to furniture manufacturing and other types of buyers from foreign markets around the world.
The European Union was Virginia’s second largest market for forest products in 2018. Italy, Germany and Spain are all major importers of Virginia logs and lumber for furniture and interiors production. Virginia exported $362 million in forest products in 2018, making their products Virginia’s 12th largest export by value.
— Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services