Industry Predictions 2026 | 17


Rekkem, all situated within 15 miles of our warehouse in Aalbeke. This cut road kilometres per multimodal delivered container by 80% and halved CO2


total route. Perhaps most importantly for


our customers, the NDC will transform our internal distribution network. Our depot locations will be able to hold wider, more balanced product ranges, directly improving availability and service levels across the country.


The centrepiece of this programme is our new 300,000ft2


National Distribution Centre


in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire. We expect completion by end of 2026 and to be fully operational by end 2027. This investment represents a significant step forward in our ability to better serve our customers. The NDC will give us greater control over imported product storage, support our value- added product development and enable us to expand our range whilst improving stock throughput. Perhaps most importantly for our customers, the NDC will transform our internal distribution network. Our depot locations will be able to hold wider, more balanced product ranges, directly improving availability and service levels across the country. This means we can continue growing whilst maintaining our existing depot footprint, and delivering a better experience at every customer touchpoint. In an uncertain market, we’re backing ourselves and supporting our customers with confident investment in operational excellence. We’re looking forward to what the new year brings.


In terms of investment, we undertook further development of our racking system and purchased two special side loaders which can reach up to 9 metres. We also continued electrification of our fleet, with all our reps now driving electric or at least hybrid vehicles.


Our broad European footprint and diverse stock—around 135,000m3, comprising 140 different species across hardwoods and softwoods for markets including construction, cladding and garden timber — enabled fast, certified deliveries to customers across Belgium, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Germany and the rest of Europe. We saw increased interest in lesser-known species, supporting biodiversity, and our quest for certified teak has been very successful, with our worldwide export offer boosting sales.


Geneviève Standaert, Export Manager Vandecasteele Houtimport


STEADY, DEMAND-


LED GROWTH... The timber market gradually improved through the year, after a softer 2024, with demand tied closely to a slow but positive turn in construction activity. Hardwoods performed a lot better than in 2024 with an increase of 15%. We navigated this environment by leveraging our large multi-species stock and prioritizing certified supply where customers needed speed and certainty.


Among our key developments in October 2025, we became the first company in Belgium to achieve Preferred by Nature certification for both Chain of Custody (CoC) and our Due Diligence System (DDS)—a milestone that affirms our traceability systems and EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) readiness. We also once more received the Sustainable Development Goal Champion Award.


Being honoured again, this time in the category of Strategic Champion, highlighted our strategic approach and integration of sustainability across all aspects of our operations.


Operationally, we continued our modal shift: moving import containers from Antwerp by inland waterway to River Terminals Wielsbeke, Wevelgem and


In 2026 we expect steady, demand-led growth as construction stabilizes, and mass timber solutions continue gaining traction, albeit with price volatility and supply chain complexity still possible. A major factor will be the EUDR: the European Council and Parliament have now backed a one-year delay to 30 Dec 2026 for large/ medium operators and 30 Jun 2027 for micro/small operators, with adoption of targeted simplifications. We welcome clarity on timelines while continuing to invest in robust due diligence, geolocation data and supplier auditing. In the meantime, the EU Timber Regulation remains valid for all timber companies and competent authorities in Europe will police compliance for this for another year!


In the coming year we’ll keep strengthening our certified-only strategy and our lesser-known timber species (LKTS) portfolio.


for the


In 2026 we expect steady, demand-led growth as construction stabilizes, and mass timber solutions continue gaining traction, albeit with price volatility and supply chain complexity still possible.


www.ttjonline.com | Spring 2026 | TTJ


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