20 | Sector Market Update: Plywood & OSB
◄ This all appears to be part of a “perfect storm” for plywood importers. They are already grappling with the demands of the EUDR/UKDR (Deforestation Regulations) replacing the EUTR/UKTR (Timber Regulations) in December 2025; and with anti-dumping investigations into both Chinese and Brazilian plywood imports. Now they have the uncertainties caused by President Trump in global markets, which were reeling from the actual and potential impacts of the tariff changes. Although timber and panel products do remain tariff-free (at the time of writing anyway), products made from them do not.
“There is a coniferous plywood quota, agreed by the EU, and has been for years, so I don’t understand why the EU wants these [anti-dumping] investigations and if a new duty is now imposed on Brazilian elliotis pine plywood, which is the number one source of softwood plywood for Europe, there is no
alternative source,” said one major trader in plywood.
In the case of China, the problem seems to be more about the source of the birch the plywood manufacturers are using – is it home-grown Chinese birch, or is it Russian birch breaching sanctions against President Putin’s regime? “A number of dishonest Chinese factories are re-marking birch plywood – I would say ‘greenwashing’ it – and selling it to Europe – sometimes directly to UK buyers who don’t know where the plywood is actually made,” said a contact. “We only buy genuine Chinese birch plywood, made from Chinese trees, and have had it isotype tested; we have a clear conscience,” they continued. “But if anti- dumping regulations do come in, it would still affect us. I remember when, a few years ago, a 68% duty was imposed on okoumé plywood from China.”
Concern about possible anti-dumping regulations on China are widespread in the industry and the EU was approached, by a letter on April 7 from the Plywood Trade Interest Alliance (PTIA), through a Belgian lawyer, stating its case.
The PTIA is an alliance of plywood importers, producers and end-users in nine EU member states and represents 30-35% of the imported plywood under investigation in the anti-dumping proposal. It is also supported by a substantial range of customers and end-users, including DIY stores, construction companies and trailer manufacturers, as well as the European Timber Trade Federation (ETTF) and other national trade bodies. The PTIA’s letter points out that they directly and indirectly provide tens of thousands of jobs. PTIA’s letter highlighted the two main topics, namely: (i) Inconsistencies on product scope definition with the Commission’s recent plywood investigation (Birch plywood from Russia); and
(ii) Specific scope exclusion requests by the PTIA, focusing on two products: eucalyptus plywood and film-faced plywood.
The letter points out that not all plywood is the same: There are many different species used in its production, therefore it should not be considered under one heading. It points out the “lack of interchangeability of Chinese film-faced plywood and EU-produced high-level birch plywood in formwork applications”.
Concerning birch plywood and the possibility of Russian product illegally entering the EU, PTIA said it “firmly opposes illegal entry of Russian birch plywood” and provided the Commission with declarations from Chinese exporting producers that they are against the processing and export of any illegal Russian birch plywood into the EU. However, said the letter, Russian birch plywood continued arriving in the EU indirectly via other countries, citing investigations into countries such as Turkey and Kazakhstan, which resulted in duty being applied to them for sanction-busting. “In view of the impending application of the anti-dumping regulations, a lot of mills are looking for alternative wood sources such as Australian softwood,” said a trader. “It makes very nice plywood and is FSC- certified and will comply with the EUDR and UKDR.” He pointed out that the logs are more expensive than existing species, but if high duties were to be put on Brazilian supplies, the Australian species could become competitive.
Top: Market commentators are expecting OSB prices to rise Above: Chinese plywood production
TTJ | May/June 2025 |
www.ttjonline.com
Some Chinese factories are already offering softwood plywood using radiata pine from New Zealand, he said.
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 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85
