South America is home to some of the world’s most beautiful exotic hardwoods. It is for this reason OPS has worked over a long period of time to establish supply partners throughout this region.

This month’s top 6 SOUTH AMERICAN TIMBER Species:

Each species is available in logs, sawn timber, AD / KD, RS / S4S, and semi or finished products, produced to customer specification.

Balsa Wood (Ochroma pyramidales)

Ochroma pyramidales

Description: Balsa is famous for its wide usage in woodworking, due to its softness and its high strength compared to its low density. The name Balsa is the Spanish word for “raft.”

Balsa wood is a lightweight, renewable resource that has gained popularity across various industries due to its unique properties. The global Balsa wood market includes manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, and end-users of Balsa wood products.

Products Available: there are many different levels of processing Balsa, from raw material through to semi or finished products using high-end CNC machines.

Applications: The construction industry uses Balsa wood for lightweight structures and partitions, while the packaging industry uses it to create protective packaging materials for fragile objects. The model-making industry employs Balsa wood for its lightweight properties, and the sports equipment industry uses it to make lightweight paddles, rackets, and surfboards.

Grade: Balsa wood is often classified into different grades based on its density and quality. The grading system typically consists of letter grades, ranging from A to C (and sometimes even lower).

Origin	South America
Colour	Yellow Blonde
AD Density - KG/M3	< 480 Very Soft

Basralocus (Angelique)

Dicorynia guianensis, Dicorynia paraensis

Description: The wood is dimensionally stable and has a nice, warm, reddish-brown color. With its texture and pleasant color, Basralocus has a pleasing combination of appearance and natural durability not often found in construction hardwood.

Products Available: Logs – AD / KD Sawn Timber – Decking

Applications: Exterior joinery, Interior panelling, Flooring, Sliced veneer, Cooperage, Current furniture or furniture components, Heavy carpentry, Ship building (planking and deck), Resistant to one or several acids, Hydraulic works (seawater), Interior joinery, Industrial or heavy flooring, Cabinetwork (high class furniture), Veneer for back or face of plywood, Sculpture, Stairs (inside), Turned goods, Vehicle or container flooring, Bridges (Parts not in contact with water or ground).

Origin	South America
Colour	Dark Brown
AD Density - KG/M3	580 - 1000 Hard
Durability Above Ground	class2
Durability In Ground	class2
Hardness Janka kN	9-12 Hard

Bolletrie, Bulletwood, Massaranduba

Manilkara huberi, Manilkara bidentata, Manilkara spp

Description: The wood is dark red brown with purplish shades.

Products Available: Logs, sawn timber, semi or finished product.

Applications: Stakes, Stringed instruments (bow), Hydraulic works (fresh water), Sleepers, Sliced veneer, Ship building (planking and deck), Sculpture, Turned goods, Industrial or heavy flooring, Stairs (inside), Bridges (Parts not in contact with water or ground), Bridges (Parts in contact with water or ground), Poles, Wood frame house, Arched goods, Tool handles (resilient woods), Shingles, Heavy carpentry, Current furniture or furniture components.

Origin	South America
Colour	Dark Reds
AD Density - KG/M3	1000+ Very Hard
Hardness Janka kN	9-12 Hard
Durability Above Ground	class1
Durability In Ground	class2

Djindja Udu

Buchenaviatetraphylla, Burchenaviaspp., Terminaliaspp.

Description: Also known as Nargusta, Mirindiba, or Granadillo. This timber is light yellow to yellow brown, sometimes with reddish veins.

Products Available: Logs – AD / KD Sawn Timber – Decking

Applications: Sliced veneer, flooring, cabinetwork (high-class furniture), shipbuilding (planking and deck), furniture, interior joinery, molding, turned goods, industrial or heavy flooring, heavy carpentry, shipbuilding (ribs), arched goods, exterior joinery, tool handles (resilient woods), exterior and interior flooring.

Origin	South America
Colour	Yellow Blonde
AD Density - KG/M3	580 - 1000 Hard
Hardness Janka kN	9-12 Hard
Durability Above Ground	class2
Durability In Ground	class3

Manchiche

Lonchocarpus castilloi

Description: The heartwood ranges from cream-brown to dark reddish-brown. The heartwood often has thin stripes of lighter color. Its texture is moderately coarse with a low to medium luster and a straight to interlocked grain. Tangentially sawn surfaces can produce an attractive, striated figure alternating between darker and lighter fibers.

Aside from its Class 1 durability and resistance to insect attacks, its primary boast is that is it unsurpassed in bending strength – even when compared to Ipe. Despite its extreme density, it actually responds well to machine cutting and is considered easy to work with.

Products Available: Sawn Timber – Decking FSC

Applications: Heavy construction, decking, flooring, fine furniture, garden furniture, lathed products, tool handles, shipbuilding, and railroad crossties.

The wood is reported to be very resistant to fungus and insect attacks, including termites.

Origin	South America
Colour	Dark Brown
AD Density - KG/M3	580 - 1000 Hard
Hardness Janka kN	9-12 Hard
Durability Above Ground	class1
Durability In Ground	class1

Purpleheart

Peltogyne spp.

Description: Purpleheart´s heartwood has directly after molding a pale brown colour, which quickly changes to purple after exposure. In time it darkens to dark brown with light. There is a possible presence of internal stresses. It has a fine stripy pattern and a slight luster.

Purpleheart fulfills the regulation of the Dutch KOMO certification for windows and doors. In the USA, Purpleheart/Amarante is used to make high-class coffins.

Products: sawn timber, AD or KD

Applications: Used for heavy construction work, bridge building, fresh water piling, dock work, cladding, and vats. Excellent for flooring, gymnasium equipment, shafts, tool handles, boat building, turnery, and furniture.

Origin	South America
AD Density - KG/M3	580 - 1000 Hard
Hardness Janka kN	9-12 Hard
Durability Above Ground	class2
Durability In Ground	class2