38 | Country Focus: France
300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Total
Royaume Uni Belgique Jan 22 Jan 23 Allemagne
◄ The French and to some extent, European markets generally remained in a wait and see mode for a good part of the following 12 months. Some sawmills found good opportunities in developing exports to other regions, such as the Middle East or Asia, which were less affected by the international market drop. Then, at the start of 2023, there was a general divestment of inventories and orders started again on a day-by-day base. Today the situation is reported to be not too bad, with the consensus that the French softwood sector is back to 2019 level of business.
160,000 140,000 120,000 100,000 80,000 60,000 40,000 20,000 0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Total
Belgique Chine Jan 22 Jan 23 Espagne
1,000,000 900,000 800,000 700,000 600,000 500,000 400,000 300,000 200,000 100,000 0
2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 Total
Espagne Belgique Jan 22 Jan 23 Pay Bas Top: Oak lumber exports Centre: Beech lumber exports Bottom: Softwood lumber exports TTJ | July/August 2023 |
www.ttjonline.com
The hardwood market (especially oak), on the other hand, has been less impacted by these extreme changes. Most sawmillers report a drop in demand in some markets after the second semester of 2022 which saw prices reducing to more conventional levels after the inflationary buying frenzy of 2021/2022, especially for flooring and second grade lumber. Demand in the domestic market was lower than usual as demand for most construction related products, such as doors, windows and staircases, was down, although producers offering further processed or finished products such as glued scantlings, flooring or glued panel products – areas where available volumes and potential suppliers are generally limited – still reported good demand. Because of limited availability upper grade lumber, remained in strong demand, underpinning high prices. For most French hardwood sawmills exports have been a necessity for many years; more so as in recent times when the French economic situation has been so unstable and unpredictable. Mills have had to diversify their customer base and establish relationships in a spread of export markets to hedge against volatile domestic demand.
OAK EXPORT FLUCTUATION Exports of French oak lumber, after having undergone a significant drop (-28%) in volumes between 2017 and 2020, experienced a real boom in the past two years (+53%). In 2022, all France’s European customer
markets have performed well, unlike its biggest Asian customers in China and Vietnam where the market suddenly stopped after the second semester. On the other hand, there has been encouraging progress in secondary Asian markets, India and Indonesia.
The UK is still by some distance France’s leading oak export destination, with a 28% share of total foreign sales. It is reassuring to note that Brexit and its resulting new import controls and regulations did not significantly impact the commercial relationship between our two countries. Most French exporters report slower customs document processing, but efficient organisation and a good transport agent make for easy compliance.
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