ELKINS, W.Va. -- A Chinese commodities exchange is interested in buying hardwood from West Virginia producers.

A six-member delegation from Tianjin Commodities Exchange met with timber producers this week at the West Virginia Wood Technology Center in Elkins.

Randolph County Development Authority executive director Robbie Morris tells The Inter-Mountain that purpose of the meeting was for the parties to become acquainted.

The group's representative, Advocom Group CEO Lane Bailey, says the exchange probably would make a large purchase but wouldn't say how much it wants to buy.

Morris says any deals with the exchange would give wood producers a new market.