Launched by the International Technical Association for Tropical Timber (ATIBT) (www.ATIBT.org), the My Tropical Timber (www.MyTropicalTimber.org) digital platform is off to a particularly encouraging start. Designed to facilitate access to reliable information on tropical timber, identify suppliers, and promote a sustainable, legal, and responsible forestry and timber industry, it is already attracting professionals from several continents.
More than just a directory or technical database, My Tropical Timber was conceived as a true space for knowledge sharing and decision support, serving architects, traders, processors, manufacturers, specifiers, and buyers of tropical timber worldwide.
Encouraging results from the very first weeks
Initial usage data reflects growing interest in the platform and its increasing visibility among professionals.
Over the past 28 days, My Tropical Timber has recorded:
- 585 active users, representing a 287% increase;
- more than 2,500 page views;
- 552 new visitors;
- a 2,260% increase in visits from search engines;
- an active audience across several continents, with a strong presence in Singapore, France, and Germany.
These results illustrate the need expressed by market stakeholders for a centralized, reliable, and accessible tool to better understand tropical timber species and companies committed to sustainable forest management.
A go-to platform for tropical timber professionals
My Tropical Timber provides professionals with a range of features designed to simplify their research and support informed decision-making:
- identify tropical timber suppliers;
- search for companies by location or certifications;
- compare the technical characteristics of wood species;
- discover lesser-known species and alternatives suited to their needs;
- access reliable technical data on tropical wood species, particularly through the integration of Tropix reference sheets developed by CIRAD;
- find FSC- and/or PEFC-PAFC-certified wood sourced from sustainably managed forests.
Available in French, English, Spanish, and Chinese, the platform is aimed at an international audience and helps promote the principle of “the right wood for the right use,” while encouraging better utilization of the diversity of tropical wood species.
For all company listing requests: https://apo-opa.co/4aAw6N4
A Launch Marked by Key Events
The official launch of My Tropical Timber was celebrated on May 10, 2025, during an international webinar held in French and English. This event provided an opportunity to showcase the platform’s features and the benefits it offers to industry professionals. Given the interest generated, ATIBT plans to organize additional sessions, notably in Spanish and Chinese, to support the platform’s expansion to new audiences.
The platform was also presented at the Carrefour International du Bois in Nantes, one of the industry’s leading European events. Extensive discussions with attending professionals confirmed the tool’s relevance and its potential to support companies’ technical and commercial decisions.
Outlook
Building on this momentum, ATIBT is continuing to develop My Tropical Timber with several objectives in mind:
- regularly expanding the data available on the platform;
- increasing the number of listed companies and suppliers;
- developing new features that meet users’ needs;
- enhancing its international visibility through webinars and professional events;
- promoting greater awareness and more diverse use of tropical timber sourced from sustainably managed forests.
The goal is clear: to make My Tropical Timber an indispensable tool for all professionals seeking reliable information, promoting responsible practices, and ensuring the sustainable use of tropical forest resources.
A project made possible thanks to the support of its donors and partners
The development of My Tropical Timber is the result of a collective effort coordinated by ATIBT and made possible thanks to the support of its donors and financial partners: the Sustainable Tropical Timber Coalition (STTC), the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF), the IDH Sustainable Trade Initiative, the “Support for the Private Forestry and Timber Sector” project (Cameroon Green Pact) funded by the EU; the ConForMa project funded by the FFEM; the Tropical Timber Trade Facility project, funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH; and the Central African Forest Commission (COMIFAC).
CIRAD also contributes to the project by providing Tropix data and technical data sheets, which serve as an international reference for knowledge and the promotion of tropical tree species.
Their commitment to a sustainable, transparent, and responsible tropical forestry and timber sector has made it possible to turn this ambition into reality and to offer industry professionals an innovative, accessible, and internationally oriented tool.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Association Technique Internationale des Bois Tropicaux (ATIBT).
Press Contact:
Nathalie Bouville
Communications Manager
Nathalie.bouville@atibt.org
+33695803250
WhatsApp +24106005796
About ATIBT (www.ATIBT.org):
Founded in 1951 at the request of the FAO and the OECD, ATIBT is the leading international professional organization for the tropical forestry and timber sector. It brings together public and private stakeholders from 28 countries and works to promote a sustainable and responsible industry, the legal and ethical trade in tropical timber, the sustainable management of tropical forests, and the development of innovative tools for industry professionals.
Website: www.ATIBT.org
