International Wood International Wood 2017 | Page 46

“The appeal of live-edge for customers is that every piece is unique. Nobody else on earth has a table like yours.” 50 Years of Quality Products JORDAN POWELL, CO-OWNER – MERICANRUSTIC FURNITURE Import & Export Products • Importing high quality panel products to U.S. from around the globe. – All material quality inspected by our highly skilled on site staff. – Ike Trading can cover your Import panel requirements from Coast to Coast with prompt product available from warehouses or direct delivery to your door. • Exporting high quality hardwood logs/lumber/veneer from the US to destinations around the world. • Actively participating in forest management and rainforest preservation programs worldwide. OUR FINE PRODUCTS: BIRCH : Russia, China RED OAK: Indonesia, China, Vietnam WHITE OAK: China, Vietnam MAPLE : China, Vietnam CHERRY: China, Vietnam WHITE ASH : China, Vietnam WALNUT: China, Vietnam ALDER : China, Vietnam POPLAR : China EURO BEECH : China, Vietnam UV BIRCH & MAPLE : China HPL: China, India MERANTI : Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Philippines OKOUME : China SANDE : Ecuador AMESCLA: Brazil ULTRALIGHT MDF: New Zealand, Belgium, Uruguay RADIATA PINE : Chile ITALIAN POPLAR : Italy BENDING PLY: Brazil JUMBO SIZE : Brazil, China O U R SA L E S CO N TAC TS : WEST COAST: Scott Bender: 541-515-8975 • [email protected] GULF STATES/MIDWEST: Roy Zaiontz: 877-491-4538 • [email protected] Mike Bartz: 832-846-5034 • [email protected] NORTHEAST/MIDWEST: Brian MacDonald: 617-680-5121 • [email protected] SOUTHEAST/FLORIDA: Craig Smith: 404-693-6788 • [email protected] RUSSIAN BIRCH SPECIALIST: Mike Benito: 503-975-6517 • [email protected] 8905 S.W. Nimbus Ave., Suite 475A Beaverton, OR 97008, USA TEL: [phone] FAX: [phone] www.iketrading.com 46 INTERNATIONAL WOOD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 Guanacaste, sometimes called the elephant-ear tree, which is sourced mainly from Costa Rica; Waterfall Bubinga, a highly fig- ured exotic wood from Africa; as well as Jatoba (Brazilian cherry), Madre Cacao, Tigerwood, African Mahogany, Tatajuba, Sapele, Monkeypod and Walnut. Rocky Mehta, owner of West Penn Hardwoods, located in Conover, North Carolina, supplies hundreds of artisans who work in the slab and live-edge genre. Mehta travels all over the world to find and harvest high-qual- ity exotic lumber. He explained why harvesting large, old-growth trees is an environmentally sound practice “These trees may be 150 to 400 years old. Their trunks are 48 to 50 inches in diameter and they often have canopies of 300 or 400 feet,” he said.” Because these canopies block the sun, virtually nothing grows underneath the trees, and so, while the jungle may look thick from above, it is actually quite thin and weak on the ground.” “When the trees reach a certain age, they begin to rot from the core,” he continued. “Eventually they topple causing tremendous damage to the surrounding area, and the wood is scavenged for use as fuel. This is timber that has great beauty and value, and could be put to a higher use as furniture. What’s more,” Mehta added, “when old-growth trees are harvested in a responsible manner, many more young trees are able to grow to maturity and the jungle is rejuvenated and made healthier.” Powell, together with his business partner, Harrison Spires, started selling their MericanRustic slab tables on Etsy. They recently opened a showroom at the Hickory Furniture Market and will be showing in High Point, North Carolina, this fall. “The business has really snowballed,” he said. “The appeal of live-edge for customers is that e