Alliance helps isle
woodworkers

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

In a move to bring expert help to Hawaii's growing wood-products industry, the Hawaii Forestry Industry Association has broadened an alliance with a national nonprofit group.

The HFIA said the new arrangement with the Industry Network Corp. will bring technical and business assistance to the small- and medium-sized businesses in Hawaii's forestry industry, which generates annual revenues of $29 million. Also helping is the Hawaii Forestry and Communities Initiative, made up of state and federal agencies.

The Industry Network Corp., which opened a Hawaii office in February 1997, got $15 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce last year to help manufacturers.

About $440,000 of that came to Hawaii to help a variety of business and the New Mexico-based nonprofit has said it expects Hawaii spending to reach $780,000 this year.

HFIA has had an alliance with INC for the past year but now that has been enlarged to provide business consulting. INC screens and retains consultants for one-on-one help for individual businesses, pays the consultants and arranges for the manufacturers to repay in deferred payments to ease cash flow, according to Jane Yamashiro, INC's Hawaii regional operations manager.

INC says its efforts created more than 100 jobs in Hawaii In the second half of last year. Now it is turning its attention to the wood business. Lloyd Jones, HFIA president, said the industry employs more than 800 in Hawaii.

The HFIA/INC alliance will work on business and technical solutions for Hawaii's wood-product producers, which include both woodworkers and lumber mills. Many of their products will be displayed in HFIA's annual WoodShow Sept. 5-13 at the Aloha Tower Marketplace.

Formed just this year with 25 members and no budget, HFIA now has more than 300 members and manages programs that range from woodworker training to marketing and information seminars, Jones said.

For information on what help might be available, wood business may call the HFIA in Hilo at 808-959-9545.