The American Hardwood Export Council (Ahec), the trade association for the American hardwood industry, is the gold sponsor for an interior design awards, to be held in Dubai on September 16.

The 'Commercial Interior Design Awards' will be held at the JW Marriott Marquis.

Ahec is inviting designers to nominate projects that incorporate American hardwood from across the region for the category ‘Outstanding use of American hardwoods in the Middle East’.

The council is confident of a high number of entries as the total exports of American hardwood lumber and veneer to the region reached a value of $86.54 million last year, marking an 18 per cent increase over the previous year, said a statement.

Roderick Wiles, Ahec director for Africa, India, Middle East and Oceania, said: “The Middle East has been a great success story for American hardwoods, showing consistent growth in demand for the past 15 years or so, even weathering the global financial crisis.”

The CID awards aims to  pay tribute to the projects, architects and interior design firms making their mark on the region’s interior design sector and will herald work that displays original thinking, creativity and a willingness to stray from tried and tested formulas, he added. – TradeArabia News Service