Pachyloba is the trade name used for Afzelia pachyloba, one of the African hardwoods DA Global has posted buying requests for, as logs and squared timber. If you have Pachyloba to sell, this guide shows how to describe it and what a Vietnamese buyer looks at in a Pachyloba timber offer.

Pachyloba, Doussie, Afzelia: one genus, several names

The CIRAD / ITTO Tropix technical sheet for Doussié covers the genus Afzelia: A. africana, A. bella, A. bipindensis, A. pachyloba and A. quanzensis. In trade lists the same timber appears as Pachyloba, Doussie or Afzelia, and the names are not always used consistently between suppliers.

So in your offer, give the botanical name of the species you really supply next to the trade name. If you offer Afzelia pachyloba, write it. Do not describe a lot as Doussie or Pachyloba unless that is what it is, because a buyer compares your offer with the species named in their request.

What the technical sheet tells a buyer

The sheet gives averages for the group (they vary with species, origin and growing conditions):

  • Dense and very stable: specific gravity about 0.80 at 12% moisture content; the sheet describes the wood as very stable.
  • Very durable: heartwood is durability class 1 against fungi; the sheet lists uses in decking, joinery, flooring, boat building and bridges.
  • Logs: typically 60 to 90 cm in diameter, with distinct sapwood of 2 to 5 cm. Logs do not float.
  • Colour and grain: golden brown to pale reddish brown heartwood, coarse grain, straight or slightly interlocked.
  • Drying: slow; the sheet recommends slow drying and notes that water is hard to extract from the heart of thick pieces.
  • Machining: fairly large blunting effect; stellite-tipped teeth and tungsten carbide tools are recommended.

This is why buyers care about sapwood, ends and cracks in photos of logs, and about drying condition for sawn pieces.

Logs or squared timber: describe each form

  • Pachyloba logs: diameter and length range, sapwood thickness, how logs are marked, and photos of the log ends. Photos of logs already loaded in a container help the buyer judge the lot.
  • Pachyloba squared timber: section sizes, length range, amount of sapwood and wane left, and whether ends are sealed.

If you can supply both, send one line for each. For help choosing, see logs, squared timber or sawn timber: which to offer.

What to include in your Pachyloba offer

  1. Species and trade name (botanical name plus the name you use).
  2. Country of origin and port of loading.
  3. Form and specification.
  4. Stock today and monthly supply, kept separate.
  5. Container loading: how you normally load, such as the approximate volume per container.
  6. Price basis: Incoterm and currency.
  7. Recent photos of the actual lot. See how to photograph timber stock for an export offer.

Documents for a shipment are discussed directly for each concrete lot. In your first message a short note on what you normally provide for export is enough.

Pachyloba requests from DA Global

DA Global has posted requests for Pachyloba (Afzelia) logs and squared timber, with origins including Cameroon and the Central African Republic. See the Pachyloba logs request, the Pachyloba squared timber request and all current timber buying requests. We do not buy every volume or specification, so a clear offer lets us tell you quickly whether your lot fits a current need.

How to send your Pachyloba offer

Use the offer form on this page. Include your country, species, form, dimensions, volume, monthly supply, port, Incoterm and photos, and an email or WhatsApp contact. The full checklist is in how to submit a timber offer to a Vietnam buyer; you can also visit our raw timber sourcing page.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pachyloba the same as Doussie?

Both belong to the genus Afzelia and Tropix covers the genus in one Doussié sheet, but they can be different species. Name the botanical species you supply.

Do you buy Pachyloba logs, squares or both?

We have posted requests for both forms. Tell us exactly which form and origin you have and we will say whether it fits a current need.

Can I send an offer for a country not listed in your requests?

Yes. Send origin, specification, volume and photos. If it matches a need, we will reply with questions.

Should I quote a price first?

State the Incoterm and currency if you can. You may also send the specification and photos first and discuss price once there is a match.

Sources

  1. CIRAD / ITTO Tropix online — Doussié (Afzelia spp.) technical sheet (updated 20/05/2025) — checked 2026-10-21 · Sheet covers the genus group Afzelia africana, bella, bipindensis, pachyloba, quanzensis: log description, density, durability, drying, machining; averages for the group, vary with species and origin