During their trip to Vietnam to attend VietnamWood 2025, a delegation of 24 representatives from 12 member companies of the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA) visited TAVICO Group and the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Structure Wood Architecture (SAWA). The visit marks an important activity within the cooperation program between the U.S. hardwood industry and Vietnam’s growing structural wood ecosystem. This exchange takes place as the wood industries of both countries continue to expand, with Vietnam ranking among the world’s leading furniture exporters while also serving as a major importer of U.S. wood materials.
The SUSTA delegation included reputable companies such as AD Hardwoods, Battle Lumber, Church Hardwood, Rutland Lumber, Savage Lumber, and Thompson Hardwoods—businesses with long-standing experience in producing and supplying hardwoods, veneers, lumber, and softwood across the Southern United States. These companies play an important role in the U.S. wood export supply chain.
The meeting was attended by SAWA Chairman Mr. Võ Quang Hà, together with Vice Chairmen Mr. Neil Dodunski and Mr. Trần Hoài Sơn, who welcomed the delegation and discussed opportunities for collaboration. Their participation underscored SAWA’s role as a key connector supporting partnerships between Vietnamese enterprises and international markets, particularly in the field of structural wood and timber construction.
TAVICO provided an overview of its ecosystem, including its supply chain capacity, bonded and non-bonded warehousing systems, distribution centers, and the Tây Timber Supermarket. The delegation also visited TAVICO’s facilities and held direct discussions regarding market demand, product standards, and cooperation opportunities in supplying wood materials for construction and interior manufacturing. Several U.S. companies expressed strong interest in establishing long-term supply relationships with TAVICO.
A highlight of the session was a discussion on the rapid development of mass timber in the United States. Delegation representatives introduced poplar (aspen/poplar)—one of the most abundant and fast-growing species in the U.S.—which is being actively researched for engineered wood products such as glulam, CLT, and LVL. With its light weight, workability, sustainable supply, and competitive cost, poplar is emerging as a promising material for small and mid-scale mass timber projects. This information provides valuable insights for Vietnam as the local market begins exploring structural wood solutions.
SAWA’s participation offered the U.S. delegation a clearer understanding of Vietnam’s structural wood development landscape. SAWA shared its vision for advancing structural wood in modern architecture, emphasized the importance of technical standards, and highlighted the need for closer international cooperation to integrate wood materials into construction in a systematic and sustainable manner. The joint presence of SAWA and TAVICO reflects the cohesion of Vietnam’s wood industry in developing a professional and transparent supply chain.
The SUSTA delegation’s visit is seen as an important starting point for practical cooperation between U.S. and Vietnamese enterprises. Both sides look forward to continued engagement after VietnamWood 2025 to expand raw material supply channels, strengthen bilateral trade, promote mass timber applications, and contribute to building a more complete structural wood ecosystem in Vietnam.