COPLAC and INTERHOLCO join forces

Erembodegem-Aalst, July 2008. With an eye towards the future, Coplac, the Belgium-based supplier of logs and lumber, will be making even better use of the resources of parent company Danzer Group in the future. Coplac is forming a close partnership with Interholco, the Swiss subsidiary of Danzer Group and one of the World’s leading suppliers of African logs and lumber. This partnership will allow Coplac to continue to focus on it’s core business whilst expanding it’s current activities to ensure an enhanced level of service and commitment to it’s customers.

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Timothy Schellens was appointed as Marketing Manager for the new structure on July 1, 2008. Mr. Schellens succeeds Wilfried Janssen, who has been Director of Coplac since 1974. Mr. Janssen is leaving the company after 34 years but will continue to act as lumber consultant for the Group. The 38-year-old Mr. Schellens has extensive experience in the lumber industry, including the past 11 years as Coplac’s Commercial Manager for Logs and Lumber.

Increased cooperation with Interholco

“The new structure will profit significantly from the close partnership with Interholco“, Timothy Schellens said. “Direct access to the African forests and production resources of Interholco will offer our customers big advantages.” Customers will also have access to Coplac’s global purchasing network.
“Our global customer contacts also offer additional growth opportunities,” said Ulrich Grauert, Interholco General Manager. Coplac, which has its own international contacts with more than 100 third-party suppliers and an extensive knowledge of wood species from all over the world, will be able to offer customers the best-possible personalized service.

Lumber from all continents

With a wide range of lumber inventory including more than 60 wood species and a well-developed procurement network, Coplac offers customers fast delivery and top-notch service. Customers enjoy virtually unlimited creative flexibility. “We cover the entire range of the lumber market for our customers,” said Mr. Schellens. “ The continuous availability of our entire product range is a big advantage for them.”

Successful development

Coplac is one of Belgium’s largest importers and traders of hardwood logs and lumber. The company’s main markets are Belgium and the Netherlands. These two countries currently account for 60% of total sales, followed by France with approximately 15%. Coplac sales have grown considerably in recent years. The company has enjoyed double-digit growth in annual sales between 2003 and 2007.
Closer co-operation between Interholco and Coplac will enable them to build upon this success and target continued growth. Sales activities will be intensified in neighboring countries.

Certified lumber

The many chain of custody registrations held by Coplac confirm the integrity of the company’s procurement policy. This gives assurance to customers that the wood they purchase comes from legally and sustainably managed forests. 
Société Générale de Surveillance (SGS), the world’s largest independent auditing firm, has issued legality certificates for wood products from Danzer Group’s African subsidiaries – IFO in the Republic of the Congo and SIFORCO in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The concessions are currently targeting FSC certification in cooperation with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). The certification process began in 2008.

In addition to the company’s reliable procurement network, customers also profit from Danzer Group’s further extensive worldwide resources. The company has five sawmills in North America and Africa and maintains its own forest concessions totaling 3.2 million hectares in Africa’s Congo Basin. Modern facilities and processes at all Danzer Group production locations ensure the highest quality standards.