| 25
300,000 250,000 200,000 150,000 100,000 50,000 0
2016 2017 Total 2018 2019 United Kingdom 2020 2021 Belgium Above: Oak lumber annual exports
to its important resources in maritime pine, followed by the eastern regions with a mix of softwood and hardwood production and the central region of Auvergne (mostly softwood) and Burgundy (mostly hardwood). From this log harvest, French sawmillers produced a total of 7.66 million m3
of lumber
(excluding sleepers and wine staves), a 10.4% decrease from the record level of 2022 (8.5 million m3
).
Softwood lumber totalled 6.48 million m3 and hardwood lumber 1.17 million m3
.
Softwood lumber production was mainly composed of spruce and fir (3.86 million m3 followed by Douglas fir (1.14 million m3 maritime pine (0.96 million m3
).
Regarding hardwood lumber, oak is the lead species at 540,000m3 by beech at 320,000m3
EXPORT TRENDS
French lumber exports in 2024 were reported to have started rather slowly through the first quarter for most products. However, while trends varied across different markets, generally speaking, foreign sales picked up in the second half of the year. For softwood, the market slowed down during the second semester of 2023 and remained sluggish until February 2024. Starting from the second quarter, however, sales started to really pick up and remained at a high level until the end of the year. As a result, the total volume of lumber exported last year rose by 19%, exceeding 909,000m3
.
Thanks to a 2024 upturn of 35%, Spain regained its rank as French softwood exports’ lead destination, taking 25% of the total last year. It had lost that position to Belgium back in 2019 but in 2024 the latter accounted for 24% of all France’s exports.
Sales to the Netherlands declined 5%, but those to other European destinations showed considerable growth. Sales to Algeria also showed some encouraging signs and emerging markets for French lumber, including India and Egypt also saw growth. Sales of softwood lumber to the UK, almost non-existent 15 years ago, reached a peak
produced, followed and poplar 210,000m3
. ) ) and of 34,000m3 in 2021, but since then have declined and amounted to 22,600 m3 last year.
In the beech lumber market, the situation has been more difficult. After peaking in 2022, the volume of French exports dropped by 10% in 2023 and by another 6.7% last year, falling to 120,000m3
up at the end of the third quarter, but not enough to produce a positive result for the year as a whole.
There was growth in exports to French beech lumber producers’ two biggest foreign customers, Belgium and China which accounted respectively for 20% and 16% of France’s total exports. Sales also rose to other Asian countries, notably Vietnam, India and Malaysia. But business with other main export markets declined.
French oak lumber exports went through similar phases as softwood exports last year. Business in the first quarter was reported as “rather dull”, but then the trend turned upward until October/ November, which saw a downturn, with the result that total exports for the year were 1% down on 2023. The UK remains by far our biggest foreign customer for oak lumber, accounting for more than 30% of our total exports and in 2024 the volume grew 8% to 51,800m3
.
Sales again started rather sluggish for the first semester but picked up nicely to the end of the year.
On the other hand, except to Germany and
Portugal, oak lumber sales declined to all our other European customers. On the positive side, sales of lumber to China and India grew considerably.
Exports of hardwood logs, that were a considerable problem for French sawmillers a few years back have somewhat stabilised, mainly due to the lack of overall growth in the Chinese market over the last two years. The species most impacted by Chinese log consumption was oak, with France being China’s biggest supplier for several years. The situation is still problematic for French sawmillers in certain regions, but overall shipments of oak logs have halved in two years.
The decline in softwood log exports has been sharper still, with volumes divided by four in three years. But shipments of beech logs grew again last year after falling sharply in 2023.
. Shipments picked
There are still concerns that log exports generally could rise again if the main Asian markets regain momentum, especially after China clamped down on imports of American logs a few months ago.
PROSPECTS FOR 2025 This year, French lumber producers and exporters alike are hoping to see growth continuing after the promising trends in the second semester of 2024. And feedback from most sawmillers on the state of trade is upbeat.
For softwood, the distribution sector is picking up and domestic demand from packaging and construction industries is on the up. Many larger softwood companies are also betting on further growth in demand for engineered timber products from the building sector, such as glulam and CLT. Softwood export figures are looking positive, thanks particularly to demand from Spain and Belgium. Northern African markets were also reported to be active during the first quarter.
Oak sawmills say they are hoping for a pick-up in European orders after a slow fourth quarter in 2024. Like other industrial sectors, the timber and wood products industries have been through a period of turbulence and uncertainty due to the threat of US import tariffs. There has been particular concern in the furniture sector over the prospect of other furniture producing countries looking for alternative export destinations to the US.
Interestingly we are seeing more hardwood companies looking to develop second transformation products. These have mainly been panels and scantlings. But a few companies are starting to produce hardwood glulam beams to add value to lower grade lumber and to gain market share in construction. ■
www.ttjonline.com | July/August 2025 | TTJ 2022 Germany 2023 2024
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