A Matter of the Right Wood
On over 100 pages, this online publication sheds light on the current hardwood industry in the USA, presents its forestry areas and portrays the numerous varieties of US hardwood species. An introductory section provides basic information: the biodiversity of the hardwood tree population, the geographical characteristics of the forest areas or the sorting of the wood. Sustainability is of course the main topic in its extraction and use. The brochure presents detailed studies that shed light on stock development or the carbon footprint of forestry.
The extensive portrait pages on the individual species are particularly useful. You can see briefly which wood has which attributes and usage properties or which colour tone. The American red oak, for example, is the most widespread species in the US deciduous forest. Its name is derived from the red foliage; although the grain of the wood is striking, it is not always red. The differences in colour between sapwood and heartwood are also explained. The red oak also has medullary rays – the recognisable feature of all real oaks. Its texture is coarse and straight grained. The renewal rate is noted as a decisive figure for each variety: around one cubic metre of wood grows back in 1.04 seconds, meaning that the red oak population is multiplying rapidly. Further details such as bulk density, density, average shrinkage, bending strength, elasticity, compressive strength and hardness enable professionals to make an accurate assessment of the material. Particularly exciting for planning: symbols make it easy to recognise that red oak is suitable to produce flooring, furniture, doors, small items of furniture and mouldings.
Numerous design and architectural projects, which are presented in a richly illustrated manner, provide a comprehensive overall picture of the individual varieties: Whether the "Fugu" seating group, designed in 2019 by Jasper Morrison Studio for Tristram Hunt, or the "Timber Wave" sculpture (2011) by Amanda Levete Architects situated at the main entrance to the V&A Museum or the European headquarters of Bloomberg in the City of London, designed by Foster + Partners – the special spatial character, in this case of red oak, is conveyed via the impressive range of projects that have already been realised.
"The idea was to retain the value of the previous technical guides as practical tools, but at the same time make the new edition very visual and engaging," says AHEC marketing manager Lauren Smith. "We wanted to bridge the gap between retailers and specifiers by showing retailers some of the amazing projects using American hardwoods and specifiers how the wood is sourced and selected."
The result is an extremely helpful compilation that demonstrates the flexible variety of hardwoods and is a reference work, order catalogue and source of inspiration all in one - for dealers, specifiers and end users. It is precisely this triad that the AHEC has made its mission since the beginning of its 30-year existence: To inform, educate and inspire. The trade association supports smaller companies in positioning themselves on the international sales market and has helped the US deciduous tree to achieve its high-quality image. Not least through the art formats that AHEC regularly initiates, the association promotes the sustainable cultivation of this diverse raw material. With the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it can count on strategically valuable and competent partners – and build on a growing clientele in the international market.
