export-japan.com's newsletter 17th April 2006 edition

Contents

Market News: Japanese Lumber Business

Japan's forestry industry is currently in a slump but this has not stopped the increasing number of customers interested in building houses with domestic Japanese lumber. The use of wood has always been deeply part of Japanese culture with approximately 70 percent of the county being covered with forests. However, imported lumber eventually became more popular due to its decline in price. As a result, forestry became an unprofitable market in Japan with many in the industry abandoning their forests. Several foresters aimed to revive the industry in response to these woodlands which have slowly been going to waste.

Like other industries in Japan, foresters are now focusing on enhancing the quality of the wood rather than increasing the quantity that is being produced. As a result of this movement towards reviving Japan's forestry industry a unique hybrid beam was developed by Chugoku Lumber Co. Ltd. (Chugoku Mokuzai Co. Ltd.) combining Japanese cedar (cryptomeria japonica) for its durability and Douglas fir for its compressibility and flexural properties. By utilizing domestic lumber the company is hoping to not only revive the lumber industry within Japan but contribute to conserving the forests of Alaska from where Japan imports much of its lumber.

Featured Company – Cluster Technology Co., Ltd.
Cluster Technology Co., Ltd.

Cluster Technology's thermal hardening insulation-forming material Epohard boasts a high market share as a material for forming insulation products. In addition, we provide our customers with the precision-molding product-use composite material Epocluster, which is used extensively in forming functional parts for electronics and industrial equipment.

For more information please refer to the Cluster Technology Co., Ltd. website or send an inquiry.

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The Business of Washing and Folding

After learning about the laundry delivery service business in the United States, president Mika Yamazaki started her own similar service, Wash & Fold on March 2005. The service is based on a pricing system where anything you can fit within a Wash & Fold bag will cost 2400 yen to wash. The items placed into the bag need to be washable with a normal washing machine and are simply picked up, washed and folded and delivered back to the customer. The service's reasonable pricing and convenience have attracted around a thousand members mainly in the Tokyo area and are receiving approximately 20 bags a day.

It is difficult to say in such beginning stages whether or not the service will be able to compete once the prices of dryers decline, but the service definitely has potential in a country where more people are willing to invest their money for time away from such mundane household chores.

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Export-Japan.com Site Update - Search for Japanese Products in English with New Search Engine

If you are looking for information on Japanese products in English, try out the new search engine on the top page of export-japan.com website. If not yet a full member, register for free to publish your company details and trade offers. Also make sure to take a look at our Business Information Search Service for those seeking assistance in looking for specific Japanese business information.

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