Alfonso Muñoz is chief strategy and business development officer at Garnica, a Spanish plywood maker with seven factories in Spain and France that sells into more than 50 countries. We go up the supply chain to see what builders and buyers around the world actually want. Alfonso explains why Europe is pushing for greener, low emission materials, why cheap finishes cost you more in five to ten years, and how heat, termites and wildfire risk are changing what goes into a home. We also get into prefab and modular housing, the RV and camper van boom, and where Garnica sees growth next.
Show notes
- 00:00 Intro. Going up the supply chain with Cam
- 00:20 Alfonso Muñoz and Garnica: seven factories, 50+ countries, North America as the biggest market
- 01:44 European poplar, lightweight plywood, and the markets it serves, from RVs to superyachts
- 02:54 Why Garnica makes over 4,000 SKUs for different countries
- 04:22 Growing to the second largest hardwood plywood producer in Europe
- 05:03 Building rules vary by country. The Netherlands, prefab, and demand for low carbon, low formaldehyde products
- 06:56 Are developers going green for buyers or for rebates and regulation?
- 10:46 Longevity vs cheap materials. The kitchen example-
13:08 Flips in Toronto, lipstick on a pig, and what cheap finishes do to your investment
- 15:04 Where Garnica sees growth: the US, the Netherlands, the UK. Rates, inflation and the Strait of Hormuz
- 16:44 RVs, caravans, and structural insulated panels for prefab homes
- 17:44 Modular vs traditional construction, and France's 40 square metre garden house rule
- 19:41 The camper van boom during COVID, the drop after, and the rebound in the last six months
- 23:05 Climate change and building products: heat, hurricanes and adverse conditions
- 25:01 Treating wood for termites in the Caribbean and the southeast US
- 25:56 Carpenter ants, Ontario homes, and asking the right questions before you buy
- 26:59 Alfonso's favourite places: Italy and Australia
- 28:22 Fire resistant plywood after the Swiss Alps New Year's Eve fire
- 29:36 Why climate risk matters when your home is your biggest asset
- 30:19 Wrap
Guest links
- Garnica: https://www.garnica.com