Who We Are

Our History

Abimci: the voice of the wood industry

The history of an association with half a century of existence brings together details that would hardly be told accurately in a few lines, after all, it brings together not only Abimci’s (Brazilian Association for Mechanically Processed Timber) achievements on behalf of its members, but the steps of the development of the wood industrial sector in Brazil.

When Abimci was founded on July 18, 1972, in São Paulo, its focus was to defend the interests of the companies manufacturing plywood for concrete formwork. For this reason, it was initially baptized as Abimce (Brazilian Association of the Special Plywood Industry).

With the objective of accompanying the growth of the sector and thus represent the other segments of the wood industry, in 1992, the Association changed its name for the first time, to Abimci (Brazilian Association of the Plywood and Industrialized Wood Industry).

Over the years, the entity has grown stronger and expanded its representation and actions. Agendas and other product segments were incorporated into the entity’s scope of work, among them pine and tropical plywood; laminates; lumber; doors; flooring; chain suppliers and service providers. With this, in 1998, there was a second statutory change and since then Abimci has been called the Brazilian Association for Mechanically Processed Timber. In the 2000s, the entity incorporated other product segments such as mouldings and pellets, gaining even more representation from the processed wood sector.

Part of the history of Abimci, and consequently of the wood and forest-based industrial sector, can be followed since 2004, in the editions of the Sectoral Study published by the entity. The material is a source of socioeconomic and specific information about each segment represented by the Association. The publication contains data on forests in the world and in Brazil; a profile of the timber industry in the country; and consumption and export data for the main timber products manufactured in Brazil.

In its 50-year history, Abimci has taken on a growing role, creating product committees, which help companies define strategic guidelines and market evaluation. Transversal committees that address macro topics have also been structured.

To support its members, Abimci has developed quality and certification programs for products destined for the internal and external markets. For more than 20 years, it has offered its associates the PNQM (National Program for Wood Quality). Since 2013, the entity has also made available to its members, manufacturers of wooden doors, the PSQ-PME (Sector Quality Program of Doors for Buildings). The technical support to the wood industrial market is also reinforced by Abimci with the national management of ABNT’s Brazilian Wood Committee, CB-031, which has the objective of studying, elaborating, and revising the National technical standards according to the demands presented.

Part of Abimci’s history is the participation in the sector’s main events, such as the traditional Belém Fair; the International Congress of Plywood and Tropical Wood; the International Congress of Solid Wood Products and Planted Forests and, currently, the International Wood Week.

In these 50 years of history, Abimci has constantly acted with the objective of defending the sector’s interests in the political, commercial, and institutional spheres, establishing partnerships with the main organs of the sector around the world, providing mutual cooperation. Its actions are always focused on institutional strengthening and representativeness, including technical activities and stimulus to quality improvement and product certification. These activities will continue to be its mission for the next decades of operation.

Know our history