Despite the disruptions caused by the ongoing events in Ukraine, DHH Panel Products stands out as a reliable and trustworthy source of safe & legal Birch Plywood in the UK.
With over 30 years of experience, we have established ourselves as a market leader in the Birch Plywood industry. Our strong relationships with suppliers across Europe – including Latvia, Poland, Estonia, and Finland – have allowed us to continue our role as a leading Birch Plywood importer.
We offer a diverse range of face grades, from C, CP to BB, in various thicknesses from 0.8mm to 50mm. As a replacement to B/BB and S+/BB Birch from Russia, we are seeing more demand for B/BB Birch-Faced Poplar Plywood and Maple-Faced Poplar Plywood as an alternative to these clear grade decorative panels.
With such major disruption to global supply chains and current embargoes against Russia, we understand there may be concerns regarding the legality of using Birch Plywood. However, when you purchase Birch Plywood from DHH we guarantee it is legal and sourced ethically from Europe. As a responsible supplier, we are committed to working tirelessly to ensure that all our Birch Plywood products originate from legal forests and not ‘conflict timber’.
To provide you with greater insight, we have created an explainer that sheds light on what ‘Conflict Timber’ is; how to avoid purchasing it, and alternative options to Birch Plywood that are currently available within the UK market.
Q: What is Conflict Timber?
Conflict Timber is “wood that has been traded at some point in its Chain of Custody by an armed group or country that is involved in an armed conflict; either to perpetuate conflict or take advantage of conflict situations for personal gain”.
All wood products that originate from either Belarus or Russia were deemed as ‘conflict timber’ on the 2nd March 2022; in order to prevent countries around the world from purchasing these products, and inadvertently helping to fund the economies of Belarus and Russia respectively whilst they are under economic sanctions from multiple international bodies.
Timber Development UK (TDUK) has recently confirmed that ‘conflict timber’ from Belarus and Russia still appears to be making its way into the UK. The most common way this is done is by illegally routing products through a third-party country; and by using a falsified ‘origination’ document to make it look like a product has originated from that country, instead of Belarus or Russia.
Please remember that conflict timber is still illegal, and that any distributor or end-user could face charges if they are found in possession of such products. It’s also hard to prove whether these products properly conform to standards such as EuroClass and EN314/EN636 if their origin or manufacturer is unknown – meaning that you could end up using a product that doesn’t meet the safety needs for your project.
Q: How can I avoid purchasing Conflict Timber?
The easiest way to avoid purchasing illegally-sourced wood is to use a reputable importer and distributor such as ourselves at DHH Panel Products, or any registered member of the TDUK. All TDUK members subscribe to an industry-recognised Responsible Purchasing Policy, which ensures that the appropriate background checks are always carried out to prevent suspicious panel products from entering the UK in the first instance.
Alongside our statutory obligations, we additionally employ a small team of knowledgeable people who have compliance at the forefront of their work; and who cross-check and scrutinise all documentation to ensure that any claims from our suppliers are properly evidenced. We also regularly travel to our suppliers around the world to independently inspect their working & manufacturing practices; ensuring that everything is bona fide and on the correct side of national and international law.
We put the hours in, so that you can have peace of mind when purchasing anything from us. By using DHH Panel Products, you know that your product’s gone through a rigorous compliance process to ensure that it is 100% safe to use, as advertised; and is also from a legal & sustainable supply source.
Q: Are there alternatives to Birch Plywood?
There are several alternatives that you could use instead of Birch Plywood; such as multi-lam Eucalyptus Plywood from South America which is dense and strong; Clear Maple & Birch faces on Poplar Plywood from Europe; and Marine-Grade Okoume Plywood from Africa and the Far East.
If it has to be Birch Plywood, we still stock a full range of Birch Ply products in the UK – such as Phenolic Birch Plywood from Latvia; Flexible Birch Plywood from Finland; and FR Birch Plywood from Poland. Please visit our product pages for access to the full stock range.
