There’s never been a better time to buy American red oak in Europe. That’s partly because it’s in plentiful supply, partly because it’s eminently affordable, with the price differential versus European oak as wide as it’s ever been, on a par with US ash.
American Hardwood Export Council technical consultant Neil Summers acknowledges that both these positives for European buyers are to some extent due to a negative; the fact that China, as part of ongoing trade tension with the US, last year imposed a 10% tariff on American hardwood imports.
The Chinese are easily the biggest buyers of US red oak, and indeed US hardwoods generally, recently accounting for 60 percent of American exports. So the tariff, which may rise to 25 percent early March, has left a lot of timber seeking new customers.
And the situation has been exacerbated by China’s economic slowdown, which US mills accept, demands a strategic market refocus, regardless of tariffs.
However, going into 2019 they and Ahec are determined that current price and availability won’t be red oaks’ only attraction on the European market. They are also focusing promotional and communications resources squarely on its performance potential.
Ahec is working with designers, makers and furniture students to underline red oak’s versatility, aesthetics and technical merits. The timber is being taken in new directions in processing, finishing and end use and it will take centre stage at exhibitions. The marketing campaign will also feature showcase projects Europe-wide, including last year’s massive use of red oak at the new European HQ of financial data and media colossus Bloomberg in London.
The species’ sustainability credentials will be stressed too; notably that it is America’s most prolific hardwood, with two cubic metres growing in the forest every second.
Mr.Summers doesn’t deny that Chinese tariffs pose a serious challenge for US mills, with red oak especially impacted and prices accordingly depressed.
“Initially wet weather restricted felling, so the tariffs’ effect was muted, but harvesting has now picked up and mills heavily focused on China have found it tough,” he said. “If tariffs are raised further, and the Chinese currency remains weak against the dollar, it will be that much more difficult”. But on a positive, mills and end users are exploring and spotlighting new red oak opportunities.
“It is being thermo treated, giving it greater durability and an attractive dark colour, while its grain and performance make it a natural substitute for US ash, particularly if supply continues to decline due to Emerald ash borer,” said Mr. Summers. “There’s a trend to painted oak kitchen furniture too, which also logically points to using red oak”.
He describes it as ‘perplexing’ given its very similar aesthetic to other oaks, that red oak isn’t yet a volume item in Europe – attributable perhaps to a mix of market inertia and lack of awareness. But its current competitiveness, backed by new higher profile promotion, could open up possibilities.
“It’s more porous than white oak, so not suitable for barrels! But it machines just as well, finishes perhaps better, bends more easily and takes treatment well for external use,” he said. “It also has excellent strength properties, rated D40 under Eurocode 5, compared with European oak’s D30, and it can readily substitute a species like meranti, with its similar density, permeability and consistency”.
Among red oak showcase projects this year, UK designer maker Sebastian Cox is making a bar area for the Wallpaper magazine Handmade feature at the Milan furniture show, with dye forced into the wood’s vessels under pressure.
Additionally, Ahec is working with Polish furniture designer Tomek Rygalik on a red oak showpiece and at London’s Building Crafts College it is challenging students to create a table using 2ft 3 of the species each.
The latter project follows the success of Ahec’s design initiative with students at Oxford’s Ryecotewood Furniture Centre last year. Their task was to make a red oak storage unit. Consequently they steamed, bent, planed, turned, oiled and stained the timber, transforming it into everything from a coffee table with a miniature oriental garden under glass, to a shoe cabinet comprising woven red oak veneer strips.
Interestingly the students said they’d readily use red oak again, as did Michael Jones, Foster+Partners’ project architect on the Bloomberg building – and this used 37,160m2 for flooring, 1,858m2 for panelling and 1,350 m3 in glulam.
The next major European airing for US hardwoods generally and red oak especially will be May’s Interzum show in Cologne. Here Ahec’s stand will feature red oak exclusively.
“And reflecting mills’ interest in Europe, it is organising a US hardwood pavilion, which had to be extended due to demand to accommodate 28 companies,” said Mr.Summers. “The aim is for more Europeans to discover the underexploited potential of red oak, and to emphasise that there’s never been a better time to do it”.
