Latex foam and rubberwood orders firm up in Gulf markets
Hotel refurbishment programmes in the Gulf have lifted demand for latex foam mattresses and rubberwood furniture components.
Order books for latex foam and rubberwood components have strengthened on the back of hotel and residential refurbishment programmes in the Gulf. Two Malaysian foam plants report forward cover into the fourth quarter, and rubberwood furniture part makers in Johor have added a shift to meet panel orders.
The two product families travel together more often than buyers realise. A hotel fit-out needs mattresses, and it also needs bed frames, headboards and case goods, much of which is made from rubberwood, the dense light-coloured timber that comes from replanted rubber trees.
Rubberwood has one commercial weakness: it is not naturally durable and must be kiln dried and treated before export. Malaysian suppliers now ship with moisture content below 12 percent and phytosanitary certificates prepared at the yard, which has reduced rejection rates at destination ports.
The council has published a short sourcing note for Gulf buyers that lists the documents required for rubberwood and the treatment options recognised in the region.
The council publishes these notes for members and registered buyers. Figures quoted in market updates are industry estimates and should be verified before a contract is priced.