Statistics: TDUK Timber Imports | 13
IMPORTS DOWN, PRICES STEADY
Latest TDUK figures show imports still down but prices stabilised SUMMARY
■Imports of main timber product groups were down 9% year-on-year
■Price volatility appears to have stabilised
■Softwood imports from Sweden have grown by 28%
■Hardwood imports from the Baltic states are down
Within that, tropical hardwood imports were down -17.3%, with cumulative volume at 28,000m3
(2022: 34,000m3 ). ); while
temperate hardwoods were down -15.8%, with cumulative volume 88,000m3 105,000m3
(2022:
A significant proportion of volumes from the Baltic states has disappeared in 2023 to date, resulting in sharp drops in the share of supply of hardwoods, for Latvia in particular – down to 13% from 22% in the same four months of 2022.
Imports of the main timber and panel products in the first four months of 2023 were 9% lower (327,000m3 period in 2022.
less) than over the same
Those are the findings of the latest figures from Timber Development UK in its TDUK Timber Statistics Industry Facts & Figures, July, 2023 report. It adds that, after a period of great price volatility over the last two years, prices have stabilised in 2023 to date. Softwood imports in the January-April year-on-year comparison period were down -5.9%, with cumulative volume at 1,951,000m3
(2022: 2,074,000m3 ).
Softwood imports from Sweden have grown by 28% and the country continues to dominate supply this year, with its share of all softwood imports rising from 40% in January-April 2022, to 51% in the same four months of this year.
Finland also increased its softwood shipments to the UK, by 9%, but all the other leading countries of supply have exported less volume to the UK, with the biggest losses recorded by Latvia (down -37%), Germany (down -28%) and Ireland (down 20%). The value of softwood imports from January-April 2023 was 31% lower year-on- year. The values of planed goods has dropped by 32% and sawn goods by 30%. Hardwood imports were down -27% in January-April year-on-year, with cumulative volume for the period at 155,000m3 214,000m3
(2022: ).
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 | July/August 2023 | TTJ Softwood Imports by Main Country, Jan-Apr 2023/2022
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55
0 5
40.0 51.0 Sweden
21.0 14.0 Latvia
12.0 14.0 Finland
9.0 7.0 Germany
8.0 6.0 Irish Republic
Imports of US hardwoods are higher by 3% in the year to date, with share rising from 11% in 2022 to 15% this year.
All plywood imports were down -25.1% in the January-April year-on-year comparison, with cumulative volume at 439,000m3 587,000m3
).
Within this total, hardwood plywood imports were down -30.1% in the year-on- year comparison, with cumulative volume at 280,000m3
(2022: 401,000m3 Around 120,000m3 ). less hardwood plywood
was imported into the UK in the first four months of 2023, with China accounting for
(2022:
less to the UK in January-April 2023 than in the same period last year. However its share of supply has risen, from 67% in January-April 2022, to 70% in the same period this year.
most of this reduction – it shipped around 74,000m3
Softwood plywood imports were down -14.1%, with cumulative volume at 159,000m3
(2022:186,000m3 ).
China accounted for more than the total loss in volume (27,000m3 the UK down by 32,000m3
) , with exports to , meaning its share
of supply fell from 26% in January-April 2022 to 10% in the same period this year. Brazil and Chile increased their supply of softwood plywood to the UK by +7% and +8% respectively.
Chipboard imports were down -8.9% in the comparison periods, with cumulative volume at 203,000m3
(2022: 222,000m3 ).
OSB imports were up +15.5% in the January-April year-on-year comparison period, with cumulative volume at 151,000m3 (2022: 131,000m3
up, by +1.5%, with cumulative volume at 263,000m3
(2022:259,000m3
). MDF imports were also ). ■
2022 2023
% of Total
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