Tulipwood, the answer to Rubberwood?

Tulipwood is a fascinating species, native only to North America, and - unknown to many people - it has already once played a major role in the history of hardwood in Indonesia.

Tulipwood is pale yellow in colour and has very few natural characteristics in the form of knots, because it grows with a tall clear stem and few lower branches. It machines well and takes stain easily as well producing as a good finished surface. It is available in a wide range of lengths and widths. Tulipwood became popular in Italy when Malaysia and Indonesia banned the export of Ramin logs and later put restrictions on the export of sawn Ramin timber. Italy had been using Ramin for furniture, mouldings and picture frames for many years. So Tulipwood provided an alternative, and for the last ten years at least has been one of the most important species imported by Italian manufacturers who turned away from Indonesian Ramin.

Now, as Indonesia becomes critically short of its own indigenous hardwoods, needed by its huge wood processing capacity and its growing domestic consumption for an exploding population, Tulipwood can play a more positive role this time. As a substitute, it can act as an additional resource rather than a competitor.

Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are ail short of Rubberwood, a species that is subject to price increases not only as a source of fibre but currently due to the rapid rise in the price of rubber latex. Normally older trees are harvested for wood but the high price of Iatex is now discouraging plantation owners from scrubbing out oIder, less productive, trees that can still produce latex; rather than wait the seven years before saplings become productive by which time rubber prices may have fallen. Rubberwood buyers also have to compete with buyers from panel industries that can use the same fibre. More importantly, furniture makers using Rubberwood have come to discover that their furniture is trapped at the Iow end of the market and fails to climb to hiqher prices, even with better designs.

Tulipwood is considerably more expensive aIthough the price gap has lessened in recent times. But the yieId is far greater and the specifications of long lengths and widths means that finger jointing still unattractive in furniture display wood, is unnecessary. Rubberwood, as a plantation species, is of course sustainable. However the Iand on which Rubber trees are planted is converted natural forest, and the biodiversity of its plantations is very limited indeed. Whereas tulipwood is one of the USA's most sustainable species, increasing year on year, selectively harvested from naturally regenerated forests. and therefore safe to sell in environmentally sensitive markets. World Hardwood(c)

Woodmag, No. 15, Jan 2008
Magazine for Ekamant's premier customer