Business Overview

The Timber and Building Materials Business engages in a wide range of operations from the manufacturing of timber and building materials to their distribution, as the leading timber and building materials trading company in Japan in terms of transaction amount.

Based on a global network built up over years of involvement in developing operations worldwide, the Distribution Business sources stable supplies of high-quality timber from properly managed forests. In Japan, we purchase and sell a wide range of products related to timber and building materials. In recent years, we also handle domestic timber that has reached the harvest stage and wood chips used to fuel biomass power generation expected to see larger demand in the future.

In the Manufacturing Business, we manufacture doors and windows, wooden interior fittings, stair case materials, and others in Japan. The Manufacturing Business in Japan produces construction articles such as doors and windows, interior wood materials, and staircase materials. Overseas, we produce wooden board products such as plywood, medium-density fireboard (MDF) and particle board and various building materials such as flooring, furniture and kitchen cabinets at each location in South East Asia, Oceania, and North America. We supply them all over the world including Japan.

Main Activities within the Distribution Business

Main Activities within the Manufacturing Business

Integrated Approach to ESG Initiatives in the Timber and Building Materials Business

The Timber and Building Materials Business develops a broad range of businesses centered upon wood, which encounter various social issues in each process from procurement through manufacturing and distribution. Additionally, we are moving ahead with initiatives to establish a cyclical resource supply system with the timber industrial complex as a pillar and standardizing carbon neutral design through the expanded adoption of One Click LCA.

The Sumitomo Forestry Group recognizes a broad range of important social issues regarding timber and wood products handled in its distribution businesses from compliance with laws, regulations and social norms to the respect of human rights, securing of occupational health and safety, biodiversity conservation and the consideration of local community. We promote the integration of business with ESG by setting targets related to the percentage of sustainable timber and wood products handled. Additionally, our business flow incorporates the confirmation of sustainability initiatives of suppliers.

We recognize that establishing safe, stable working environments and reducing the environmental impact in manufacturing business is a material issue. Therefore, we are working to enhance safety measures, improve working environments, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions while increasing recycling rates.

ESG Initiatives in the Timber and Building Material Business