Statistics Update: TTF UK Imports | 13
IMPORT STATS
SOFTWOOD HEADLINES
The TTF’s latest statistics show a sharp drop in imports, largely driven by the softwood market SUMMARY
■ Solid wood imports for January- April were 20% down year-on-year
■ Ireland exported 42% more softwood to the UK in the comparison period
■ Latvia more than doubled its shipments of hardwood to the UK
■ Total plywood imports were up 6% in the comparison period
The value of softwood imports was around 9% higher in the first four months of this year, compared to the same period in 2021. The value of £715m in 2022 to date was generated by a 41% increase in average price on a 23% drop in volume.
In contrast, hardwood imports were up 23.4% in the comparison periods, with cumulative volume January-April at 212,000m3
(2021: 172,000m3 ). More than a
The contrast between the start of 2022 and 2021 continues to be noteworthy, with imports of the main timber and panel products in the first four months of this year remaining 15% (3.5 million m3
) below the
same period last year – solid wood imports were 20% lower and panel product imports were 3% lower in the comparison periods. These are the latest figures from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) – TTF Timber Statistics Industry Facts & Figures, July 2022. The TTF notes the huge distortion in trade over the last three years, with large percentage falls in 2020 and even larger percentage increases in 2021. It adds that the total change in UK import volumes is largely driven by the performance of softwood imports. Softwood imports in the January-April comparison periods were down 22.8%, with cumulative volume at 2,073,000m3 2,684,000m3
(2021: ). The TTF points out that this
drop disguises the fact that the first four month period of 2022 has been one of the better four months (to April) over the last five years.
Most of the leading countries of supply exported less to the UK in 2022 to date, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland, which exported 42% more.
quarter of all the volume was accounted for by Latvia, which shipped more than double its usual quantity to the UK in the four month period. Its share of supply has shot up from 14% between January-April 2021 to 24% this year. Total plywood imports were up 6% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 587,000m3
(2021: 553,000m3 ).
up 11.5%, with cumulative volume for the period at 401,000m3
Within this total, hardwood plywood was (2021: 359,000m3
). China increased its volumes of hardwood plywood
to the UK by more than 50,000m3 four months of this year.
). in the first
Softwood plywood imports were down by 4.1%, with cumulative volume at 186,000m3 (2021: 194,000m3
The TTF notes that the average price of softwood plywood has risen sharply in the first four months of this year, rising at nearly double the rate of hardwood plywood. Chipboard imports were down 1.8% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 222,000m3
(2021: 226,000m3 (2021: 178,000m3 ).
OSB imports were down 26.5% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 133,000m3
). Exports
were up by a huge 158%, with cumulative volume to January-April at 60,000m3 20,000m3
).
MDF imports were down 6.5%, with cumulative volume at 259,000m3 277,000m3
). ■ (2021:
with cumulative volume from January-April at 19,000m3
). MDF exports were up 13.6%, (2021: 17,000m3
(2021:
Softwood Imports by Main Country, Jan-Apr 2022/2021
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0 5
38.0 39.0 Sweden
20.0 22.0 Latvia
14.0 12.0 Finland
10.0 8.0 Germany
4.0 8.0 Irish Republic
2021 2022
The TTF is the UK’s foremost membership body for the timber supply chain. Its members constitute timber importers, merchants, agents and manufacturers and account for around two-thirds of the £10bn UK timber industry.
www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2022 | TTJ
% of Total
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