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Report from
North America
Sawn tropical hardwood imports soared in July
US imports of sawn tropical hardwood jumped 25% in
July, rising to their highest volume month of 2026. At
18,135 cubic metres, July imports were 12% higher than in
July 2025. A 61% gain in imports from top-supplier Brazil
fueled much of the rise, while imports from Ecuador, Peru,
Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire also made substantial monthly
gains.
Despite the rise, total imports of sawn tropical hardwood
for 2026 still trail 2025 by 2% through the first seven
months of the year.
It was the opposite story in Canada, where imports of
sawn tropical hardwood fell 23% in July to their lowest
level of the year.
At just under US$1.2 million, July imports were down
32% from the previous July. For the year so far, Canada’s
imports of sawn tropical hardwood trail last year’s by
21%.
Hardwood plywood imports fell 9% in July
US imports of hardwood plywood continue to stay well
below 2025 levels as the volume of July’s imports fell 9%
from the previous month. However, imports based on
value actually rose 2% in July as spending reached $157.3
million, the highest level since January.
At 223,974 cubic metres, July volume was 30% less than
in July 2025. Imports from Russia fell 28% for the month
while imports from Viet Nam fell 26%. Through July,
total imports of hardwood plywood are down 31% in
volume versus last year while spending is down 20%.
Import volume from the two top trading partners,
Indonesia and Viet Nam, both remain down by more than
50% for the year.
Veneer imports flat in July
Imports of tropical hardwood veneer stayed level from
June to July, rising by less than 1% in July from the
previous month. At just under US$3.55 million, imports
for the month were 14% higher than in July 2025.
Imports from Cameroon remain strong, rising 21% month
over month and up 39% for the year to date. Imports from
Italy are also improving, up 112% for the year through
July. Total imports of tropical hardwood veneer are up
19% versus last year through the first seven months of the
year.
Hardwood flooring panel imports dropped in July
US imports of assembled flooring panels fell by 22% in
July, dropping to their lowest level since February.
Imports from Thailand, which have been strong through
most of the year, fell 48% in July to their slowest month of
2026.
Imports from Canada also tumbled, declining 31% month
to month. Despite the slowdown, at US$22.7 million,
imports for July outpaced those of the previous July by
11%. For the year to date, total imports of assembled
flooring panels are down 3% versus last year.
Imports of hardwood flooring increased 5% over the
previous month. However, July’s import total of US$3.97
million was more than 45% lower than for July 2025.
Stronger imports from Malaysia and Indonesia more than
offset drops of more than 50% in imports from Viet Nam
and China. Imports from Brazil, normally a top supplier,
fell to 0 in July and are down 79% versus last year through
July. Year to date, total US imports of hardwood flooring
are down 26% versus 2025.
US moulding imports see modest July gain
US imports of hardwood mouldings rose 3% in July,
lifting activity to its highest level of the year. At just over
US$14 million, imports were 7% below those of July
2025, despite the gain. Imports from Brazil more than
doubled from the previous month, rising to their best
strongest month since last July.
However, sharp drops in imports from China and Malaysia
offset most of the gain. Through July, year-to-date imports
are down 14% versus last year.
Wooden furniture imports fell 3%
Imports of wooden furniture fell 3% in July as orders
remain at a level well below last year. At US$1.33 billion,
the month’s imports were 21% less than those of the
previous July. Imports from Malaysia and India both fell
more than 10% from the previous month while imports
from India rose 16%. For the year to date, imports remain
down 23% versus last year.
For the whole of the US furniture market the latest Smith
Leonard report noted that new orders for June were down
5% compared to the month of May (which had been up
13% over April), but up 11% compared to June 2025.
Year to date, new orders are up 4% over 2025. June 2026
shipments were up 2% compared to May 2026 and up 3%
from June 2025. However, year to date, shipments remain
even with 2025 levels.
See: https://www.smith-leonard.com/2026/09/04/aug-2026-
furniture-insights-2/
Canada imposes new tariffs on US goods
New Canadian tariffs targeting roughly US$20 billion in
US imports officially snapped into place on 8 September,
the latest escalation in an increasingly costly trade war that
has ensnarled two longtime allies.
The duties apply to a variety of US goods, including wood
products, clothing, cheese and metal parts. The approach is
meant to mimic the taxes that President Trump imposed on
Canada after trade talks between the two neighbors
collapsed in acrimony last month.
For now, the economic effects of the tit-for-tat may be
limited because the tariffs encompass only a small portion
of the annual trade between the United States and Canada.
The more pressing concern is a potential cycle of
retaliation, one that results in even higher and more
exhaustive duties that harm families and businesses on
both sides of the border.
In Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney has sought to
position himself as a bulwark against President Trump’s
trade aggression, describing his nation as “at war.”
Canadian officials generally have pledged to respond
“dollar for dollar” to any US duties.
Further inflaming tensions, Trump has even threatened to
block all trade involving countries that export more to the
United States than they import from it. Currently, the
United States has a yawning trade deficit in goods and
services involving dozens of trading partners, including
many in Europe and Asia.
See: https://www.canada.ca/en/department-
finance/news/2026/08/list-of-products-from-the-united-states-
subject-to-counter-tariffs-effective-september-8-2026.html#wb-
auto-4
and
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/08/business/canada-tariffs-
trump.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20260908&instance
_id=181580&nl=breaking-
news®i_id=245015031&segment_id=226163&user_id=258d
ed1699bcd9dffdef624af674317b
Kitchen cabinet market size to reach US$154 bil. by
2033
The global kitchen cabinets market is likely to be
US$102.5 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach
US$154.2 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 6.0%
between 2026 and 2033, according to a recent report by
Persistence Market Research.
According to the report, the global kitchen cabinets market
is projected to expand steadily through 2033, supported by
residential renovation and modernization trends. North
America remains a prominent market because of strong
remodeling activity and consumer interest in upgraded
kitchen interiors.
Other key highlights from the report include that
Increasing consumer emphasis on kitchen organization is
strengthening demand for cabinets with efficient storage
features and that a growing demand for customized and
modular kitchen solutions is encouraging manufacturers to
expand design and product choices.
See: https://www.woodworkingnetwork.com/cabinets/kitchen-
cabinets-market-size-reach-154b-2033-reports-persistence-
market-research
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