A north west timber products business has become the sole UK supplier of mandioqueira, a South American tropical hardwood used for decking.
Silva Timber Products owners Nick Taylor and Simon Hutton met a number of potential suppliers while on a trade mission to Bolivia last year and have now agreed a deal with one. Mr Taylor said the supplier conforms to the strictest environmental standards.
Mandioqueira is a versatile, mostly straight-grained wood with a light golden brown appearance and a medium texture. Its colour tones are similar to those found in oak.
Its qualities include being naturally decay-resistant and it is rated as having class three durability, making it suitable for exterior use. It comes with full certification from the Forest Stewardship Council, which promotes responsible forestry.
Although Bolivia is one of the least developed countries in South America, it has some of the strictest illegal logging laws in the world. More than 50 per cent of its land mass is forest, and it has a deforestation rate of just 0.5 per cent.
To ensure optimal stability, mandioqueira has been kiln-dried at source to a moisture content of about 15 per cent. Its boards are mostly knot-free
As well as decking, mandioqueira can be used for outdoor furniture, flooring, interior and exterior cladding, boat and shipbuilding
.