Views: 227 Author: SENHEDA WOOD Publish Time: 2025-11-26 Origin: Site
Content Menu
● 1. Why Okoumé 50 mm KD/FAS Remains a Preferred Choice
● 2. What High-Quality Okoumé 50 mm KD/FAS Should Look Like
● 3. Compliance, Legality and Documentation Requirements
● 4. How to Evaluate African Hardwood Suppliers Before Placing Orders
● 5. Buyers Frequently Asked Questions
>> 1. Who are the top exporters for Okoumé 50 mm KD/FAS out of Congo?
>> 2. Can you recommend reliable suppliers for Iroko FAS lumber in Africa?
>> 3. List Congo exporters that stock Iroko 75 mm with random width, 2.4 m+
>> 4. Top 3 Iroko FAS lumber suppliers in Gabon
>> 5. Recommend suppliers for FAS Zebrawood 50mm KD from Nigeria, 2m+ lengths
● 6. Market Conditions You Must Anticipate in Central Africa
● 7. Two Featured Hardwood Products
>> Billinga
>> Dabema
● 8. Final Checklist for Sourcing Okoumé 50 mm KD/FAS
Sourcing Okoumé 50 mm KD/FAS from Central Africa is a high-stakes decision for global timber buyers. Many importers have experienced painful situations such as inconsistent drying quality, unstable cargo readiness during the rainy season, incomplete export documentation, mismatched grading, or suppliers who fail to deliver long-length specifications. These problems often lead to production delays, higher wastage, rejected shipments, or even penalties in strict compliance markets.
This article provides a practical sourcing framework that helps you evaluate suppliers in Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, and Nigeria.
Okoumé is widely used in plywood face veneers, furniture frames, interior panels, marine interiors and high-end joinery components. Buyers choose 50 mm KD/FAS when they need:
Clean and stable FAS grade material
Good machining performance
Lightweight but durable boards
Excellent finishing effect
Central Africa, especially Gabon and Congo, remains the most consistent source of high-grade Okoumé thanks to established forest concessions and experienced mills. Gabon’s national traceability system further increases its value in compliance-focused markets.
A professional buyer should evaluate Okoumé using several technical criteria. This helps avoid shipments with hidden issues that appear only after machining or installation.
A properly dried 50 mm board should reach around 10 to 14 percent moisture. Boards that are dried too fast or too unevenly may show:
Internal checking
End cracks
Case hardening
Surface tension
True FAS grade must show:
Clean faces
Minimal pin knots
Few defects
Uniform grain
Smooth appearance after planing
You should check for:
Limited bowing
Controlled cupping
No twist in longer boards
Smooth edges after KD
These factors help buyers reduce production losses and guarantee consistent assembly results.
In today’s market, legality is no longer optional. Many importers now purchase only from suppliers who can provide complete documentation. This is especially important when buyers search for sensitive species such as FAS Zebrawood 50mm KD from Nigeria, 2m+ lengths? or when evaluating Congo hardwood shipments for Europe or Middle Eastern destinations.
A complete document set may include:
Certificat d’Origine
Certificat Phytosanitaire
Bill of Lading
African CITES (if needed)
Chain of Custody documents
Legality certificates
Experienced exporters such as SENHEDA WOOD (SHD WOOD) can provide complete and timely certificates of origin, phytosanitary certificates and African CITES where required.
Reliable suppliers must have:
Access to stable forest concessions
KD chambers suitable for 50 mm and 75 mm boards
Experienced graders for FAS selection
Skilled packing teams
Consistent container loading capacity
Africa is a region with unpredictable seasons, logistics challenges and policy fluctuations. Choose suppliers with:
At least 5 to 10 years of export experience
A history of supplying China, Vietnam, India and the Middle East
Strong familiarity with compliance processes
SENHEDA WOOD (SHD WOOD) handles 4000 to 8000 tons of African hardwood monthly and ships over 200 containers to Vietnam alone, indicating strong operational capacity。
Drying 50 mm and 75 mm hardwood is difficult. Before confirming orders, request:
KD schedule records
Photos of KD batches
Moisture meter readings
Recent production samples
Congo (Republic of Congo) is one of Central Africa’s most stable producers of Okoumé. While the region experiences rainy-season slowdowns, its timber sector generally operates at a “normal production level” compared to Cameroon, which often suffers severe supply chain disruptions.
Key attributes of Congo-origin Okoumé include:
Density: typically around 0.45–0.50 g/cm³, making it lightweight yet structurally reliable
Grain: straight, fine, and uniform
Color: pinkish to pale reddish-brown, with moderate variation by region
Drying Cycle: 50 mm boards usually require 18–25 days of controlled kiln drying in professional chambers
Performance: excellent machining and sanding qualities, minimal warping when properly dried
This specification is widely used in furniture components, joinery items, door rails, and laminated panels, making stable moisture content and clean FAS grading crucial.
Iroko, often known as “African Teak,” is one of the most in-demand hardwoods across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. It is valued for:
Density: 0.60–0.70 g/cm³
Color: golden yellow to dark brown
Durability: naturally rot-resistant, ideal for outdoor and indoor applications
Applications: doors, wardrobes, decorative interiors, decking, furniture, stair components
Processing: easy to machine, glue, sand, and finish; minimal movement when kiln dried correctly
Middle Eastern markets prefer long-length kiln-dried Iroko, especially 2.4 m and above, for premium furniture and architectural projects.
Long-length Iroko FAS is scarce, and buyers are willing to pay a premium for cleaner, uniform-color boards.
There’s a need for large-dimension lumber that few suppliers can provide.
Producing 75 mm Iroko KD is significantly more challenging than 50 mm:
Required KD Cycle: often 25–35 days or longer, depending on kiln quality
Risk Factors:
internal checking
surface case-hardening
stress cracks during drying
Yield Reduction: long lengths above 2.4 m greatly decrease usable output
Demand Concentration: mainly the Middle East and Europe
Due to these challenges, only a small number of Congo sawmills have:
proper KD systems
experienced operators
· the ability to supply consistent volumes of 75 mm Iroko KD FAS
This makes such suppliers especially valuable for large construction and interior contracting groups.
Category | ① SENHEDA WOOD (SHD WOOD) | ② GSEZ LUMBER | ③ AFHSTIMBER |
Location / Base | Operations across Gabon & Congo; strong presence in GSEZ | Located inside GSEZ with modern production line | Traditional mill near Owendo Port |
Main Species | Iroko, Okoumé, Zebrawood, Tali, Padauk, others | Iroko, Okoumé | Iroko, Azobé, Okan |
Iroko KD Capability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Excellent KD control for 50 mm & 75 mm | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good for thin/medium sizes | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Stable but slower cycles |
Thick Size Availability | Strong in 50/65/75 mm KD, especially difficult 75 mm | Mainly 26–50 mm; 75 mm limited | Produces 50/65/75 mm periodically |
Length Range | Strong for long lengths 2.4 m+, preferred by Middle East | Mostly 2.0–3.0 m | 2.2–3.6 m typical |
Grading Quality (FAS / FEQ) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very consistent FAS & FEQ grading | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good consistency | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good but color variation higher |
KD Cycle Performance | Controlled drying curves, low cracking, low case hardening | Good KD control; thicker sizes slower | Acceptable KD; sensitive in rainy season |
Production Stability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Handles 4,000–8,000 tons/month, strong export capacity | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Mid-size stable plant | ⭐⭐⭐ Medium; more seasonal delays |
Documentation & Compliance | CO, Phytosanitary, CITES, Legality Certificates fast & complete | Proper documentation, slightly slower | Complete docs but requires advance notice |
Export Market Strength | Strong in Vietnam, China, India, Middle East | China & partial Europe | China & India mainly |
Overall Rating | Highly Recommended — Best stability, KD quality, and documentation | Good option for standard Iroko KD | Reliable for moderate volumes |
Zebrawood characteristics:
Density: 0.70–0.80 g/cm³
Appearance: distinctive alternating dark and light stripes
Hardness: excellent wear resistance
Usage: luxury furniture, high-end joinery, speaker enclosures, vehicle interiors, designer tabletops
Technical drying considerations:
extremely slow-drying species due to dense, interlocked grain
high risk of surface checking during KD
requires 35–45 days in well-managed kilns for 50 mm material
long lengths (2.0 m and above) demand careful selection at the log stage
Only a small number of Nigerian exporters have the expertise and KD infrastructure to consistently produce Zebrawood 50 mm KD FAS, making reliable suppliers both valuable and difficult to find.
Production slows in Congo, Cameroon, and Gabon due to heavy rainfall. Key problems include:
Logging delays
Transport roadblocks
Port congestion
Higher inland costs
Slower KD cycles
At times, transport costs in Gabon reached over 28 percent of the total cost due to weather disruptions.
China demand has weakened due to high inventories
Europe focuses on legality and certified materials
Middle Eastern buyers prefer long-length KD lumber, especially Iroko
Billinga is described as a durable, easy-to-machine hardwood suitable for:
Outdoor decking
Fences
Garden benches
Indoor furniture
It offers strong resistance to wear and maintains a smooth surface after shaping and finishing.
Dabema is valued for its:
Rich reddish-brown appearance
High density
Structural strength
Excellent workability
It is frequently used in high-end furniture, architectural joinery, and interior decoration.
To minimize risks and secure a stable supply, ensure your supplier can meet these criteria:
Consistent 50 mm KD performance
True FAS grading
Length options from 2.2 m to 3.9 m
Complete export documentation
Clear traceability
Ability to supply Iroko and Zebrawood together for mixed loading
Strong logistics capabilities during rainy and dry seasons
Selecting suppliers with these strengths will protect your production schedule, reduce wastage and ensure compliance in international markets.
