Comment | 3
COMMENT
This is a jam-packed issue at the start of 2022. Of course, the big question as we go into another year is how will timber trading follow the dynamic and some would say earth-shattering last two years. Will seasoned veterans of the
trade once again be scratching their heads trying to think of trading comparisons like they
did in 2020 and 2021. Perhaps not. We asked several industry executives for their views
in our 2022 Predictions piece (pp19-23). Confor’s Stuart Goodall believes 2022 may be more of a “canter” than a sprint, but the UK wood market appeared to have the stamina to push on, buoyed by the presence of sustained strong demand drivers for timber and positive policy developments. John Newcomb of the Builders Merchants Federation
expressed optimism about a new spirit of collaboration throughout the construction industry. He says merchant sales had eased as the winter months started and warned that availability is likely to top the agenda again in 2022. Keith Fryer of Fort Builders Merchants highlighted US
futures price for lumber at around double the February 2020 level (at the time of writing). He conceded that the UK was not the US, but the sheer scale of their demand does carry forward to the rest of the world. “The US is telling us they’re going to be busy,” he said. This last point is something picked up in our Softwood
market report (pp26-27) and may be a factor to stabilise prices in Q1, following the high prices through much of 2021 followed by price and demand reductions in the final months of the year.
TTJ – the voice of the timber Industry More interesting pointers can be seen in our report on
the TDUK global market conference (pp28-29). Also covered in this issue is forestry, with reports on the annual Forestry Conference, the UK Forest Market Report (FMR), which reveals the new factors driving the value of forestry, and a focus on Forestry and Land Scotland, which is leading the charge on the need for greater timber stocks (pp45-51). The forestry market has seen a record-breaking
year, with average values more than double what they were three years ago and the total value of the forestry investment market reaching a new high, according to the FMR. The annual report, produced by John Clegg & Co and
Tilhill, is now in its 23rd year and is regarded as the most comprehensive publicly available record of forestry transactions in the UK. The data series now incorporates 1,909 transactions, which total some £1.6bn and 299,000 stocked hectares. Another report we look at is the world of fixings
and fasteners, a vitally important area considering its products go hand in glove with timber use. Many everyday uses of wood wouldn’t be possible without screws, nails and connectors. The message from the sector is that fixings have done really well in the pandemic and companies are expanding.
GROUP EDITOR
www.ttjonline.com
► MARKET UPDATE – HARDWOOD TTJ speaks to importers and merchants about hardwood trading and where business might be headed in 2022
► MARKET UPDATE – CHIPBOARD We cover market developments in the chipboard sector
► SECTOR FOCUS – DECKING & GARDEN PRODUCTS We catch up with manufacturers of decking and garden products and ask if the bumper seasons they had in 2020 and 2021 are likely to be repeated
► SECTOR FOCUS – MOULDERS & MOULDINGS We look at prospects in the mouldings market and continuing investment in moulder technology
► CUSTOMER REPORT – KITCHENS A look at the kitchen manufacturing sector and how timber fits into the business
► PLUS REGULARS
Latest UK and world news; technical news; comment from industry figures; and latest appointments.
www.ttjonline.com | January/February 2022 | TTJ
Next issue
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 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77
