Statistics: TDUK Timber Imports | 13
STRONG FINISH TO 2024
Latest TDUK stats show Q4 imports boosted overall numbers SUMMARY
■UK timber imports in 2024 were nearly 45,000m3 2023
higher than in
■Import volumes in Q4 2024 were up 13.1% year-on-year
■Latvia and the Republic of Ireland increased softwood volumes to the UK in 2024
■China increased its hardwood and softwood plywood shipments
on-year comparison, with cumulative volume at 84,000m3
(2023: 85,000m3 ).
Temperate hardwood volume was down 4.1% in the January-December year-on- year comparison, with cumulative volume at 249,000m3
(2023: 260,000m3 ).
The main contributors to this lower volume were the US in the supply of temperate species, and Cameroon in the supply of tropical species. These volume reductions outweighed the higher volumes coming from France, Latvia, Estonia and Romania. Total plywood imports were up by 2.8%, with cumulative volume for the January- December year-on-year comparison at 1,199,000m3
(2023: 1,167,000m3
UK imports of the main timber and panel products in 2024 were nearly 45,000m3
higher
than in 2023, an increase of 0.5%. And most of this increase was achieved in the final quarter, when import volumes were 13.1% higher than in Q4 2023.
These are the findings of the latest import figures compiled by Timber Development UK (TDUK) – Timber Statistics, Industry Facts & Figures March 2025 – which note that import volume growth has steadily improved since the quarterly low of 36.9% in Q3 2022. Softwood imports from January-December 2024 were up 1.5% in the year-on-year comparison, with cumulative volume for the period at 5,808,000m3
(2023: 5,722,000m3 ).
Of the top five softwood supplying countries, only Latvia and the Republic of Ireland grew volume in 2024, both higher by 7%. Sweden, Finland and Germany all shipped less volume to the UK over the year. Outside of the top five, combined growth of 26% from Norway, Lithuania, Austria, France and Canada supported that from Latvia and the Republic of Ireland.
Hardwood imports were down 2.2% in the January-December year-on-year comparison with cumulative volume at 438,000m3 448,000m3
).
Within that, tropical hardwood volume was down 0.9% in the January-December year-
(2023: ).
Within that, hardwood plywood imports were up 2.8%, year-on-year, with cumulative volume from January-December at 870,000m3 (2023: 846,000m3
).
The increase was fuelled by growth from China of around 37,000m3
. Malaysia and
Latvia also increased their shipments to the UK, offsetting losses from Indonesia. Softwood plywood imports were up 2.4%, with cumulative volume at
329,000m3 (2023: 321,000m3 ).
For the first three quarters of 2024, softwood plywood import levels were similar to those of 2023, but Q4 saw significant improvements – enough to elevate annual volumes above those of 2023. The main driver for this increase was imports from China – higher by around 15,500m3
. Finland also recorded a small
increase but Brazil and Chile both shipped less volume to the UK.
Chipboard imports were down 4.8% in January-December 2024, year-on-year, with cumulative volume at 579,000m3 608,000m3
(2023: ).
The reduction in volume was mainly accounted for by lower volumes from France and Germany – 48,000m3
between them.
Belgium, Portugal and Spain collectively sent 28,000m3
more chipboard to the UK.
OSB imports were up 3.4% in January- December, year-on-year, with cumulative volume at 451,000m3
(2023: 436,000m3 (2023: 755,000m3 ).
MDF imports were down 6.5% in January- December, year-on-year, with cumulative volume at 706,000m3
). ■ Softwood Imports by Main Country, Jan-Dec 2024/2023
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
0 5
48.0 47.0 Sweden
16.0 17.0 Latvia
14.0 12.0 Finland
8.0 8.0 Germany
7.0 8.0 Irish Republic
2023 2024
The TDUK 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 | May/June 2025 | TTJ
% of Total
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