Even in the age of modern manufacturing and high-tech materials, timber is still essential for a wide range of construction and infrastructure projects. Japanese wood processing and import firm Sannosuke Kobayashi Co., Ltd. has specialized in sustainably sourcing timber since 1907 and is playing a role in shaping the industry’s future. The company supplies vital infrastructure, such as railway sleepers, and is now looking to expand in North America. It is also helping advance the sector by utilizing technology such as automation and land survey drones while placing great importance on sustainability, according to President Yuzo Kobayashi. “We have a project called ‘The Present Tree’ for planting tens of thousands of trees. This will be our fifth such initiative, a trend we plan to maintain,” said Kobayashi.
