Guatemala doubles its exports for the US construction sector

By Mayora IP

In the last decade, Guatemala has doubled its exports to the United States, expanding from sawn timber to several products for interior design. According to the committee on furniture and wood (COFAMA) of Guatemala’s export agency (AGEXPORT), the industry is formed by a total of 295 companies that generate 176 thousand jobs and
USD 190 million in exports sent to 40 markets.

Because wood is being demanded for different types of use, opportunities have been identified to design and manufacture several differentiated products with high marketing potential. According to Guatemalan businessmen in the sector, wood is no longer being used only for the manufacture of furniture or decoration of residences, but is also being demanded in corporate spaces such as offices and work environments, and in places such as retail stores, restaurants, hotels and hospitals.

Latin American forests have global importance due to their size: one fourth of the world’s total forests and one half of the tropical forests lie in the region. They provide important global and national environmental services. However, in Guatemala the emphasis for forestry development is being oriented towards conservation and the search of markets for forest environmental services.