Data key to tropical timber market share growth – STTC Conference 2018

A line-up of speakers from across the international wood sector will gather in Paris for the 2018 European Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC) Conference to address the vital role of accurate trade information in growing tropical timber sales. The free event, ‘Using data to drive market share’, takes place on October 25 in Paris at the Pavilion Indochine of the city’s Tropical Gardens.

The premise of the Conference is that reliable data is the key to shaping marketing strategy, enhancing transparency and unlocking market share in any business, but that currently the quality of intelligence around the European tropical timber sector needs improvement. Speakers will tackle actions needed to achieve this and an afternoon of workshop table discussions will enable delegates to input their ideas and opinions.

The event, led by established STTC Conference moderator Peter Woodward, opens with presentations of four STTC ‘flagship’ market projects and how these could inform further development of the sector. Speakers will be Benoit Jobbé-Duval of the International Tropical Timber Technical Association (ATIBT), Arnaud Hétroit of France’s Le Commerce du Bois, Julia Kozlik of PEFC International and Anand Punja of FSC Europe.

David Hopkins of the UK Timber Trade Federation will then be one of the speakers examining ‘the data collection’ imperative and the part market information plays in the organisations’ tropical timber strategy. This will be followed by a panel discussion and questions and answer session.

Rupert Oliver of Forest Industries Intelligence and Trade Analyst of the EU FLEGT Independent Market Monitoring project will look at data gathering practice and use in the tropical timber business, leading onto table discussions where delegates can exchange experiences and perspectives on the issue.

Subsequent table discussions will address setting up collaborative efforts in trade data collection on a national and international level, with the second topic introduced by STTC founder and supporter IDH, the Sustainable Trade Initiative.

Discussion table hosts include David Hopkins, Rupert Oliver, Arnaud Hetroit, Julia Kozlik, Alberto Romero of AEIM, Paul-Emmanuel Huet of PEFC France, Emmanuel Groutel of Wale, Mathieu Auger-Schwartzenberger of FSC Congo Basin, Dries van der Heyden of Belgian NGO Bos+, André de Boer of the European Timber Trade Federation and Mark van Benthem and Jan Oldenburger of forest and timber sustainability analysts and advisors Probos.

Rounding off the event will be a presentation on the STTC’s latest developments and its future roadmap from IDH.

On the afternoon of October 24 delegates are also invited to join a tour of verified sustainable tropical timber applications around Paris hosted by ATIBT, followed by a drinks reception to mark the first anniversary of its Fair & Precious tropical timber marketing initiative.

For more and to register: www.europeansttc.com/25-october-2018-conference-using-data-to-drive-market-share/