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Above left: One of the conference sessions Above right: Dinner reception
hardboard – saw a 17% reduction, though this is the smallest product area for the European wood-based panels industry at 400,000m3 (2022: 500,000m3
).
LOW CONSUMER CONFIDENCE Low consumer confidence during 2023, explained by uncertain economic situations, led to a lower demand for furniture, including the kitchen segment. The usage of wood-based panels in this end-use decreased from 48% in 2022 to 47% in 2023. The furniture industry remained the largest end-user of wood-based panels in EPF countries.
The building industry, including doors and flooring applications, accounted for an increasing share of 39% of the overall production.
The remaining 3% (stable compared to 2022) and 11% of the wood-based panels production went to the packaging sector and other applications respectively. The EPF’s projections for 2024 are for a return to a slight production growth. In the particleboard sector, EPF predicts output to rise to 31.5 million m3 boost of roughly 500,000m3
in 2024, a .
In OSB, production is predicted to rise about 150,000m3
to 6.75 million m3 .
Plywood production is also expected to see a slight rise in 2024, both in the EU27 and in total Europe (including Belarus, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine), with the former up about 40,000m3 50,000m3
and the latter up about .
MDF production capacity is likely to tick up very marginally, whether viewed as an EPF countries region or the EU27 – both zones are expected to rise by 90,000m3
in 2024. MDF
consumption is expected to rise by the same marginal levels.
WASTE MATERIAL
EPF members used the event to endorse the launch of a self-commitment to accept MDF
and plywood waste material at their wood waste management centres within their plants.
EPF says it is proud of its members’ use of recovered wood and recycled wood. This is part of EPF’s sustainability approach, which sees cascade use and recycling as a key contribution to resource efficiency and the circular economy.
MANAGING BOARD CHANGES A major highlight of the Riga meetings was the introduction of Pablo Figueroa López as the new EPF chairman, succeeding Martin Brettenthaler after the latter officially concluded his tenure in March. Ms Veronique Hoflack was unanimously elected the new vice-chair of EPF. Chief executive officer of Unilin Panels and a managing board member since 2022, Ms Hoflack now emulates her predecessor Bernard Thiers in assuming the role as vice- chair for the federation.
She is joined on the EPF managing board by Georg Maeder (Swiss Krono Group) whose nomination was also unanimously supported by the EPF General Assembly. The conference session saw Katharina Knapton-Vierlich, DG GROW, European Commission, give the keynote presentation on ‘Biomanufacturing in the EU: The importance of the forest-based sector”.
Ms Knapton-Vierlich updated delegates on how the Commission has proposed a series of targeted actions to boost biotechnology and biomanufacturing in the EU.
The communication on ‘Building the future with nature’ identifies the challenges and barriers and proposes to tackle them, in line with the communication on the long-term competitiveness of the EU.
The Commission has said that advances in life sciences, supported by digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), and the potential of solutions based on biology to solve societal issues, make biotechnology
and biomanufacturing one of the most promising technological areas of this century.
They can help the EU to modernise its agriculture, forestry, energy, food and feed sectors and industry.
In addition, these technologies can contribute to a more competitive and resilient EU, that provides better healthcare to its citizens, and succeeds in its green and digital transitions.
But the EU biotechnology and biomanufacturing sector is facing several challenges: research and technology transfer to the market, regulatory complexity, access to finance, skills, value chain obstacles, intellectual property, public acceptance and economic security.
NEXT STEPS
Ms Knapton-Vierlich said some potential next steps for action include:
• Simplifying regulatory frameworks and market access
• Creating an EU Biotech Hub
• European standards for biotechnology and biomanufacturing
• Encourage more private investments
• Gaining profile through labelling of bio- based products
• Revising PEF (Product Environmental Footprint) by 2025, towards fair
comparisons between bio-based and fossil- based products
• Bio-based content requirements in specific product categories and in public
procurement
• Updating the EU Bioeconomy Strategy by 2025 reinforcing the industrial dimension
for a stronger EU economy.
The next EPF AGM will take place on June 25-27, 2025 in Berlin, Germany. It will be hosted by EPF national member association, VHI, the Verband der Deutschen Holzwerkstoffindustrie. ■
www.ttjonline.com | September/October 2024 | TTJ
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