World News | 9
European wood panel production grows 10% in 2021
European wood-based panel production was up 10% in 2021, according to new stats shared at the European Panel Federation’s AGM in Ghent. More than 100 delegates converged in the Belgian city for the first time since the onset of the Coronavirus pandemic to hear the EPF describe market dynamics in the European panel industry. The excellent performance achieved, however, did not give way to any celebratory feelings, as EPF managing director Clive Pinnington said the EPF was “cautious” about the years ahead. The EPF’s 2021/22 Annual Report presented at the AGM showed combined production of European wood-based panels producers was 63.7 million m3
He referenced the challenge of raw wood and chemicals supply bringing upheaval and turmoil.
He said some mills had issues with securing enough wood supply to maintain production. The Ukraine conflict and resulting sanctions meant there was now even more of a tendency to burn wood for energy and thus competing with the panel industry for wood feedstock.
He referenced the high current price of energy wood at over €400 per tonne.
in 2021, offsetting a
drop of 2.1% in 2020. The 2021 volume was a 7.6% increase on the pre-pandemic 2019 level. Particleboard production grew by 12% in 2021 to 34 million m3
, with Germany staying as Europe’s largest producer with an 18% share of overall production.
MDF volumes increased by 7.6% to 12.9 million m3
Germany again the largest producer with a 26% market share.
OSB production climbed by 2% to 7.2 million m3
in 2021
Softboard continued its meteoric rise with a 12.6% growth to 5.6 million m3
. , while
plywood production rose by 12.2% to 3.2 million m3
Compared to 2019, all these individual product areas were up in 2021.
EPF chairman Martin
Brettenthaler said the European panels industry now faced a very complicated and challenging situation.
, with
“Our industry is really facing a large raw material shortage,” Mr Brettenthaller said. Mr Brettenthaler said the wood-based panels sector was a very energy intensive industry and that energy was in short supply, citing the possibility of energy rationing in some European countries this coming winter. “For the EPF, we need to build on the resilience which we have shown in the pandemic.” “We need to work together for the urgency of the situation, in all sectors not just the wood-based panels industry, to work with policy makers.
“There is not that level of urgency [with policy makers] at the moment. “We need to tell the policy
makers that photovoltaic panels and other renewable energy is not going to cut it. We need energy this winter.” He urged a call for action, otherwise next year at the EPF AGM there could be a much more “dire ambiance and that’s not what we want to see”. A full report on the EPF
AGM and presentations will be included in the next issue of TTJ.
Setra offers moisture protection for CLT
Swedish timber company Setra is claiming to be the first business in Sweden to offer a new moisture protection for frames made from cross- laminated timber (CLT). The protection is applied directly in the production facility and is designed to simplify construction processes. “Having to take into account the weather and humidity is a constant issue in the construction industry, regardless of the material being used,” said Theres Jansson, CLT salesperson at Setra. The Wetguard200SA moisture protection is manufactured by the Swiss company Siga Cover AG. It comprises an advanced membrane designed to allow the wooden frame to breathe and releases moisture in the
vapour phase, while protecting against the penetration of water and other dirt. The protection is applied to surfaces such as floor structures and end-grain wood when frames are manufactured in Setra’s cross-laminated timber production facility. “Wetguard allows construction to continue regardless of the weather, and construction companies do not have to think about using traditional weather protection such as tents, which cost both time and money to install,” said Theres Jansson.
“By increasing the industry’s expertise regarding wood construction and developing new methods such as this, we want to make it easier to choose to use wooden frames.”
Automatic crosscut saws
Daltons Wadkin offer a comprehensive range of automatic programmable crosscutting systems for straight and angle work complete with powerful optimisation and defecting software as standard.
production costs reduced by up to
5-15% 50% less wood used
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www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2022 | TTJ
World News
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