BANGKOK--MAY 7--PFTPO THE FOURTH INTERNATIONAL TIMBER FORUM WILL TAKE PLACE IN NANTES, FRANCE ON 30/31 MAY, 1996. THIS YEAR THE EMPHASIS IS ON THE 100% TIMBER TRADE SHOW WHICH IS GROWING RAPIDLY IN TERMS OF NUMBERS PARTICIPATING. THE AMOUNT OF FLOOR SPACE COMPARED TO 1994 HAS DOUBLED TO 1200M2 - REPRESENTING OVER 200 COMPANIES. A DOZEN DELEGATIONS FROM ABOARD WILL BE PARTICIPATING. ALL THOSE INVOLVED IN THE FIRST TRANSFORMATION STAGE WILL BE PRESENTING THEIR PRODUCTS. THESE INCLUDE EXPERTS FROM THE SAWN TIMBER, PANEL MANUFACTURING, TIMBER BY PRODUCTS AND TIMBER TECHNOLOGIES SECTORS. THEY WILL MEET TRADERS AND SECOND TRANSFORMATION STAGE SPECIALISTS INCLUDING TIMBER BUYERS, FURNITURE MAKERS AND JOINERS, TIMBER MERCHANTS AND IMPORTERS. THE 100% TIMBER TRADE SHOW IS AN EXCELLENT PLACE FOR KEY FIGURES IN THE TIMBER INDUSTRY TO MEET AND DO BUSINESS. CONTRACTS CAN BE MADE WITHIN A RELAXED AND INFORMAL ATMOSPHERE. ORGANISORS SAY THE SUCCESS OF THE SHOW LIES IN THE FACT THAT IT IS THE ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND IN EXISTENCE. ENGINEERING STUDENTS FROM THE ECOLE SUPERIEURE DU BOIS (FRANCE'S LEADING TIMBER ENGINEERING COLLEGE) WILL ORGANISE TRIPS TO SEE TIMBER FACTORIES AND FORESTORY TECHNIQUES IN FRANCE FOR OVERSEAS VISITORS TO THE SHOW. THE TRADE SHOW WILL RUN SIDE BY SIDE WITH A TOP LEVEL CONGRESS WHICH THIS YEAR WILL COVER TWO THEMES: THE GLOBALISATION OF MARKETS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF TIMBER TRADE COMPANIES. UNTIL RECENTLY TIMBER MADE UP ONLY A VERY SMALL PART OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE; TODAY INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES COVER 40% OF THE TIMBER USED IN THE WORLD. FRANCE IS A MAJOR PRODUCER WITH A STRONG TIMBER TRADITION. THE AIM OF THE INTERNATIONAL TIMBER FORUM IS TO PROMOTE FRENCH TIMBER ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE BY CREATING THE FIRST TIMBER MARKET IN NANTES. THE PAYS DE LA LOIRE IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TIMBER REGIONS IN EUROPE (25,000 PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY 1,000 COMPANIES). PORT ATLANTIQUE NANTES ST-NAZAIRE IS THE LEADING PORT FOR TIMBER EXPORTS AND IMPORTS. END