Caravelle partners with U.S. firm to export wood products from Gabon, Africa

Caravelle International Group announced that the company has established a partnership with a U.S. corporation to manufacture wood products in Gabon, Africa for export to the United States and that the government of Gabon has granted the partnership use of 165 acres of land for the location of the lumber mill. The mill will produce wood laminate flooring, plywood, and other wood products. The products will have a significant cost advantage over lumber products domestically produced in the United States because of cheaper lumber and labor in Gabon, but also because the African Growth and Opportunity Act will allow for the duty-free import of these products into the U.S. The U.S. based partner will fund the construction of the mill in Gabon and already has established distribution in the U.S. to sell these products. Caravelle will ship the wood products to the United States. Caravelle will also dry the wood products in transit, using its patent-pending CO-Tech system that uses recycled engine heat for the drying process, resulting in significant cost savings and a 6-week reduction in lead times vs. traditional kiln drying at the mill. The partners estimate that the venture will generate $200M in annual revenue within several years.