PEFC Estonia, Enterprise Estonia (EIS), and Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association (EMPL) are organising cooperation seminar for the forestry, timber, and construction sectors. The seminar will focus on the French market. An important market with considerable untapped potential for Estonian companies. Speakers will share market insights and discuss opportunities for cooperation.
France accounts for approximately 4% of Estonia’s wood product exports. There is room for growth. France has a distinct and ambitious construction policy centred on the green transition, led by the Ministry of the Environment, and on the goal of achieving carbon neutrality. Forestry and timber policies are guided by national strategies. While the French market may seem complex at first, it offers considerable potential and is well within reach.
We are bringing together French companies that are eager to establish business relationships with Estonian firms. They believe success is entirely possible, one simply needs to understand how business is conducted in France.
Bienvenue au séminaire !
The networking seminar is aimed at Estonian companies in the forestry, wood products and construction sectors. It is particularly relevant to manufacturers of timber building materials, wood wall and ceiling coverings, windows and doors, mouldings and flooring, as well as general contractors, construction companies and property developers.
Program
09:00 – 10:00 Welcome coffee, registration and networking
10:00 – 10:15 Introduction to the programme
Mr Henrik Välja, Estonian Forest and Wood Industries Association (EMPL)
Welcome speech
Mr Steve Cesse, Business Development Manager (France), Enterprise Estonia (EIS)
10:15 – 11:05 France as a demanding market with untapped growth potential for Estonian timber companies and the construction sector. Market overview. UICCB introduction.
Mr Clément Quineau, Technical Manager of Timber Industry, construction and trade association (UICCB)
UICCB is an independent association representing the French timber industry, timber construction sector, and timber trade. The organization represents the entire wood value chain in France, from forest resources to finished products. In total, the association brings together around 500 companies and 22 different sectors (including timber importers, manufacturers of wooden houses, and producers of roof structures and staircases).
11:05 – 11:25 Sustainability trends in France, and the role of certification (such as PEFC) as a tool to create added value for companies
Mr Paul-Emmanuel Huet, PEFC France, CEO
PEFC France is the leading forest certification organization in France, its mission centers on anchoring global sustainability benchmarks within local practices. Massive Stakeholder Community: Over 83,000 forest owners and 3,200 companies across the country are PEFC certified. No.1 worldwide in PEFC Chain of Custody certifications with over 2,000 certificates issued to French processing and commercial businesses.
11:25 – 11:45 Coffee and networking
11:45 – 12:30 Subtleties & Requirements: everything you need to know from one of France’s leading timber construction companies
Mrs Karine Bouhier, CEO, LCA Construction Bois
LCA (Les Charpentiers de l’Atlantique) is an innovative and fast-growing French general contractor and construction company, specialising in the design, manufacture, and construction of timber structures. LCA is a member of the UICCB. The company is very interested in finding partners in Estonia.
https://www.lca-construction.fr/
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch and networking
13:30 – 14:15 Presentation by Mr Alexandre Bloch, CEO, Peltier Bois
Peltier Bois is a French company with over 50 years of experience in the timber indus try and trade, specialising in timber imports, wholesale sawing and processing. The company has its own logistics park and around ten sales offices in France (particularly in the Brittany region), through which it primarily serves professionals in the timber sector and builders.
14:15 onwards – B2B meetings
Companies are invited to book one-on-one meetings with the speakers, lasting up to 10 minutes each, to exchange ideas and explore potential cooperation. To request a meeting, please email [email protected] in advance and indicate which speaker you would like to meet.
Speakers:
Mr Paul-Emmanuel Huet
Mr Paul-Emmanuel Huet is graduated from a wood engineer school. Before joining PEFC France as executive Director in 2017, he worked during 10 years for a french family owned group specialized in tropical timber, as CSR, marketing and communication director. In particular, he was in charge of setting and implementing the social and environmental policy of the company which had forest and processing activities in Cameroon, Gabon and Congo.
Mrs Karine Bouhier
Mrs Karine Bouhier represents the second generation leading the French family-owned business Bonnin Charbonneau, where she has served as President since 2011. Together with her brothers, she has co-managed LCA Construction Bois since 2005, the group’s historic subsidiary founded in 1973 in the Vendée region and specializing in timber structures and building envelopes for public and private projects. Under her leadership, the company has continued its strong growth trajectory, with revenue doubling over the past four years to reach €28 million. LCA is currently investing nearly €6 million in the expansion of its industrial facility to support the environmental transition of the construction sector. A graduate of Audencia Nantes (1994), Karine began her career in sales before joining the family business in 2000. She became Co-Director of LCA Construction Bois in 2005 and President of the Group in 2011. Deeply committed to the timber industry, she served as President of FIBOIS Pays de la Loire from 2016 to 2022 and currently serves as its Vice-President. She has also been a member of the Board of Directors of the UICCB since 2022.
Mr Clément Quineau
Mr Clément Quineauis graduated from a wood engineer school (ESB in Nantes). Technical Manager of UICCB since 2016. He is also Chairmann of CEN/TC 124 Timber structures. He is in charge of standardisation and regulation at UICCB.
Speakers profiles are being prepared!
Organizers
PEFC Estonia, in cooperation with its partners, organises networking events to introduce foreign markets to companies in Estonia’s forestry, wood processing and construction sectors. With a presence in nearly 60 countries, PEFC aims to share insights into international markets with companies across the supply chain. These seminars provide information to help companies enter new markets or operate more effectively in existing ones. Together with its partners, PEFC Estonia has previously held seminars on the German, Dutch, UK and Belgian markets.
Mövenpick Hotel • Lembitu tänav 12, 10114 Tallinn, Harju maakond, Eesti
