22.04.2024
Vandecasteele Houtimport:
Bonn/Kortrijk (Belgium). Wood is literally in Vandecasteele's blood: for more than 140 years, the company based in Kortrijk, Belgium, which was founded in 1883, has been importing wood from all over the world for five generations.
The family business specializes in the import, trade and export of tropical hardwood from Africa, Southeast Asia and South America, Scandinavian and North American softwood as well as North American and European hardwood. "Sustainability and reliability are extremely important to us. We are determined to trade only certified timber by 2025, particularly in hardwoods and tropical hardwoods. Today, 80 percent of these are already certified," explains Uwe Herrman, Sales Manager for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Eastern Europe, and continues: "This is a long-term task in which all partners must be involved. We need to be sure that all our trading partners apply the same strict certification and sustainability processes as we do."
Large timber stocks serve as a supply in times of crisis
Vandecasteele's business model is based on long-term investments: The company imports wood from all over the world and keeps it in stock for several years, in some cases even decades. "Stockpiling is our strength. In times when supply is difficult or scarce, we can rely on our stockpiles to ensure a continuous supply," says the Vandecasteele employee. The company imports more than 130 different types of wood from 40 countries and has more than 120,000 cubic meters in stock, mainly certified hardwoods and softwoods. "Among other things, we support the LKTS program of FSC® Denmark, with which we want to promote the use of lesser-known wood species, keep these lesser-known wood species in stock and offer them as alternatives." Too often, wood of a certain well-known species is prescribed. "From the point of view of responsible forest management, we must dare to choose the right durability class for an application and not a specific type of wood," emphasizes the sales manager.
Consumers are changing their purchasing behavior in terms of sustainability
Vandecasteele is also observing increasing changes on the customer side. "Our customers are increasingly asking questions about certification and the origin of the wood. That's why we work together with external experts and are constantly expanding our internal knowledge," says Herrman. Considerable steps have already been taken with the EU Timber Regulation. "But we can do even better. We want to see and monitor greater use and support for certified wood." Vandecasteele communicates continuously with users via its website and in the form of campaigns to spread this message. This is necessary because the purchase of FSC®-certified wood contributes to 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and thus to the preservation of biodiversity.
Wood can do a lot for environmental protection
Since 2000, Vandecasteele Houtimport has been committed to achieving environmental goals that go beyond current legislation through the Corporate Durability Charter. In 2018, the charter started a partnership with CIFAL Flanders, the local HUB of UNITAR, the UN's training and education center. "In 2020, we were the first timber company in the world to receive the internationally recognized SDG Pioneer certificate from UNITAR CIFAL, followed by the 'SDG Champion' award in 2022," says Herrman proudly, concluding: "We continue to make efforts to integrate sustainability closely into the business and confirm our company's sustainability efforts with the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (VCDO). Wood is not just a commodity - it is a versatile and promising material that, when used correctly and with the highest level of sustainability in mind, can make a big difference to the environment." IFN/DS
Initiative Veneer + Nature (IFN)
The Initiative Furnier + Natur (IFN) e.V. was founded in 1996 by the German veneer industry and its partners. Today it is supported by European companies from the veneer industry, the trade and the veneer processing industry as well as trade associations of the wood industry. The aim of the association is to promote veneer as a natural all-round material.
Further information about the the company at www.vandecasteele.be
Further information about the IFN at:
furnier.de/en
wood-veneer-stories.de
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Image 1: The huge warehouses are mainly made of wood. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 2: Uwe Herrman (2nd from right) and Louis Vandecasteele, son of the current owner (right), together with participants of the IFN press trip 2023. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 3: The enormous dimensions of the timber warehouse. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 4: Timber transport in one of the halls. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Picture 5: Logs from all over the world waiting for customers. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
22.04.2024
Initiative Furnier + Natur e.V. - Bonner Talweg 84 - D-53113 Bonn - m +49 171 1783 444 www.furnier.de - www.veneer.eu - presse@furnier.de
Vandecasteele Houtimport:
Belgian wood importer with more than more than 140 years of (family) tradition
Bonn/Kortrijk (Belgium). Wood is literally in Vandecasteele's blood: for more than 140 years, the company based in Kortrijk, Belgium, which was founded in 1883, has been importing wood from all over the world for five generations.
The family business specializes in the import, trade and export of tropical hardwood from Africa, Southeast Asia and South America, Scandinavian and North American softwood as well as North American and European hardwood. "Sustainability and reliability are extremely important to us. We are determined to trade only certified timber by 2025, particularly in hardwoods and tropical hardwoods. Today, 80 percent of these are already certified," explains Uwe Herrman, Sales Manager for Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Eastern Europe, and continues: "This is a long-term task in which all partners must be involved. We need to be sure that all our trading partners apply the same strict certification and sustainability processes as we do."
Large timber stocks serve as a supply in times of crisis
Vandecasteele's business model is based on long-term investments: The company imports wood from all over the world and keeps it in stock for several years, in some cases even decades. "Stockpiling is our strength. In times when supply is difficult or scarce, we can rely on our stockpiles to ensure a continuous supply," says the Vandecasteele employee. The company imports more than 130 different types of wood from 40 countries and has more than 120,000 cubic meters in stock, mainly certified hardwoods and softwoods. "Among other things, we support the LKTS program of FSC® Denmark, with which we want to promote the use of lesser-known wood species, keep these lesser-known wood species in stock and offer them as alternatives." Too often, wood of a certain well-known species is prescribed. "From the point of view of responsible forest management, we must dare to choose the right durability class for an application and not a specific type of wood," emphasizes the sales manager.
Consumers are changing their purchasing behavior in terms of sustainability
Vandecasteele is also observing increasing changes on the customer side. "Our customers are increasingly asking questions about certification and the origin of the wood. That's why we work together with external experts and are constantly expanding our internal knowledge," says Herrman. Considerable steps have already been taken with the EU Timber Regulation. "But we can do even better. We want to see and monitor greater use and support for certified wood." Vandecasteele communicates continuously with users via its website and in the form of campaigns to spread this message. This is necessary because the purchase of FSC®-certified wood contributes to 14 of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and thus to the preservation of biodiversity.
Wood can do a lot for environmental protection
Since 2000, Vandecasteele Houtimport has been committed to achieving environmental goals that go beyond current legislation through the Corporate Durability Charter. In 2018, the charter started a partnership with CIFAL Flanders, the local HUB of UNITAR, the UN's training and education center. "In 2020, we were the first timber company in the world to receive the internationally recognized SDG Pioneer certificate from UNITAR CIFAL, followed by the 'SDG Champion' award in 2022," says Herrman proudly, concluding: "We continue to make efforts to integrate sustainability closely into the business and confirm our company's sustainability efforts with the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (VCDO). Wood is not just a commodity - it is a versatile and promising material that, when used correctly and with the highest level of sustainability in mind, can make a big difference to the environment." IFN/DS
Initiative Veneer + Nature (IFN)
The Initiative Furnier + Natur (IFN) e.V. was founded in 1996 by the German veneer industry and its partners. Today it is supported by European companies from the veneer industry, the trade and the veneer processing industry as well as trade associations of the wood industry. The aim of the association is to promote veneer as a natural all-round material.
Further information about the the company at www.vandecasteele.be
Further information about the IFN at:
furnier.de/en
wood-veneer-stories.de
Image 1: The huge warehouses are mainly made of wood. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 2: Uwe Herrman (2nd from right) and Louis Vandecasteele, son of the current owner (right), together with participants of the IFN press trip 2023. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 3: The enormous dimensions of the timber warehouse. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 4: Timber transport in one of the halls. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Picture 5: Logs from all over the world waiting for customers. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
22.04.2024
Initiative Furnier + Natur e.V. - Bonner Talweg 84 - D-53113 Bonn - m +49 171 1783 444 www.furnier.de - www.veneer.eu - presse@furnier.de
Image 1: The huge warehouses are mainly made of wood. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 2: Uwe Herrman (2nd from right) and Louis Vandecasteele, son of the current owner (right), together with participants of the IFN press trip 2023. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 3: The enormous dimensions of the timber warehouse. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Image 4: Timber transport in one of the halls. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock
Picture 5: Logs from all over the world waiting for customers. Photo: IFN/D. Stoverock