24 | Focus on OSB: Rest of the World


TABLE 2: New mills/additional capacity 2023 and beyond Country


Company


Europe France France


Hungary UK


Poland Spain Russia


Swiss Krono Swiss Krono Swiss Krono Kronospan Swiss Krono Kronospan Sibboard


Location Sully


Lot-et-Garonne Vásárosnamény Chirk Zary


Tortosa Tomsk, Seversk


Angara Les LLC, Karat Group Kodinsk, Krasnoyarsk Mega Smart TBA


Ukraine


Rest of the World China Chile


OOO DOK Kalevala Kronospan Kronospan


Luli Group Paneles Arauco Vietrnam TBA New Zealand Laminex Total committed to 2023 & beyond


Sibay, Bashkortostan Verkhovazhsky, Vologda Petrozavodsk, Karelia Ufa, Bashkortostan Rivne


Hunan


Cholguán TBA


Taupo


Focus on OSB Rest of the World Restricted content


TBA TBA TBA TBA


To view please subscribe 


TBA


Siemp CR 9ft x 50.4m 2.60 x 55m TBA


Press


existing Siemp press TBA


existing Siemp press TBA


existing Siemp press


Capacity m3


/yr


Start-up date


approx 150,000 (extension) 2024 600,000


TBA


approx 250,000 (extension) 2024 600,000


TBA


approx 100,000 (extension) 2024 360,000 TBA


100,000 231,000 60,000


200,000 phase 2 Extension TBA approx 600,000


600,000 (Fine OSB) 300,000


IMAL PAL 30m cont press 250,000 


approx 400,000 4,801,000m


2025 TBA


2023 2027 2025 TBA TBA 2024


2024 2025 2025 TBA


 press, TBA = to be advised – awaiting further information, ca = approximate information, na = information not available, addl = additional, e = WBPI estimated capacity


 


(2022: US$186m) in 2023, with an operating loss of US$-3m. This is obviously a big fall from 2022. In contrast to its North American operations, the fourth quarter of 2023 saw continued weakness in demand for West Fraser’s European panel products. And Q1, 2024 saw the division recorded


adjusted EBITDA of US$-1m. “Although we continue to experience near-


term softness for MDF and particleboard panel products in Europe and the UK, we are experiencing slightly better demand for our OSB products early in 2024,” it said.


It still expects 2024 shipments of MDF, particleboard and OSB to be similar or slightly better than 2023 levels. And it remains positive about OSB prospects in the longer-term as use of OSB as an alternative to plywood grows. The aging housing stock will also support long- term repair and renovation spending. Near-term risks which may slow demand include relatively high interest rates, ongoing geopolitical developments and the lagged impact of recent inflationary pressures, Input costs for the Europe EWP business, including energy and resin costs, are


expected to stabilize in 2024 but remain elevated. West Fraser anticipates that it will invest


approximately $450m to $550m in its group facilities in 2024, depending on market factors.


Another European giant, Egger reported in December that the six months ended October 31, 2023 saw a 7% reduction in sales to €2.1bn compared to a year ago. Challenges cited included persistently high inflation, high interest rates, volatile raw material prices and geopolitical crises. “Persistently high inflation in many regions, stricter capital requirements for home purchases and global geopolitical uncertainties have led to a general weakness in consumption and a decline in demand in almost all markets,” said Thomas Leissing, chief financial officer of Egger Group and speaker of the Group Management: EBITDA for the period was €299.2m (–15.4% as compared to the previous year). The overall economic outlook remains subject to great uncertainty, which is why Egger is looking at the second half of the 2023/2024 financial year with subdued earnings expectations. The European Panel Federation’s most recent OSB production statistics relate to the full year 2022 and show an 11% contraction for the year to 6.44million m3 million m3


(2021: 7.2 ). Its 2023 statistics will be out at the EPF AGM in Latvia in June. Above: WBPI | April/May 2024 | www.wbpionline.com


Its forecast for 2023 – made last year – had been for a slight improvement (+5.6%) to 6.8


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45