Constant Change

Hardwood markets are changing, why are they changing, and what exactly is changing? Whenever I think I might have figured out what is changing and what to do about it, the market changes again, and I am back at the bottom of the ladder again, looking up at the place I want to be. Whether in export markets or domestic changes, this industry is all about adaptation and creativity. We are constantly reacting to change. Why can’t we be proactive in front of the change? Maybe you are answering that question as you read this with, “We could be proactive if we knew what was coming!” I certainly don’t have a crystal ball, and those Chinese fortune cookies don’t seem to work either, but I do have the new Market Impacts committee at the NHLA!

Charged as the leading portal for hardwood industry information, the committee has gathered multiple topics impacting our industry. From the EUDR to log exports to social media rebuttals and how to recruit younger talent, the topics are vast and varied. With access to a complete list of challenges, the market impacts committee can create solutions for those challenges themselves, or they can identify the right group to tackle those problems and pass the issue on to the Hardwood Federation, AHEC, the Real American Hardwood Coalition or even other committees at NHLA!

Funneling all these challenges through one group to help identify the most efficient way to react to the challenge has shown great promise. Already responding to false social media posts and generat-ing videos that will assist in educating both consumers and designers regarding forest management, environmental science, and the economic impact of the hardwood industry, the Market Impacts committee is helping our industry speak with one voice, and they are making a difference; what a fantastic feat.

One voice for the Hardwood industry? One voice for political influence, the Hardwood Federation. One voice for export support, AHEC. One voice for industry-wide marketing, the Real American Hardwood Coalition. One voice is not very strong when we are all saying something different or speaking at different times, but one voice is a very powerful tool when we are saying the same thing at the same time. The second loudest NFL stadium is Lumen Field in Seattle, home to the Seahawks. With one voice, they reached 137.6 decibels. Equivalent to a jet engine taking off, the fans at Lumen Field make their point as one voice. I heard that the little stadium in Kansas City called Arrowhead is louder at 142.2 decibels, which is cute, so they might be number one. My point is that with one focused voice and one message, we can make ourselves heard, above all the noise.

The Market Impacts committee is working diligently towards a one-voice solution where our industry finally has a voice loud enough to be heard over the noise.

What market impact issues do you see in our industry? Speak up and let us know about them! Please use the new NHLA app available in the Apple and Google stores to share your thoughts.

This new tool will help us all identify challenges and create solutions for those challenges in a much more timely manner. We need your input!

Thank you all once again for reading my letter! I genuinely hope we can continue to raise our voices as one so that those who need to hear us cannot ignore us any longer! Go Hawks!
Take care.

Jon Syre
NHLA Chairman | Cascade Hardwood