Statistics Update: TTF UK Imports | 13
IMPORTS CONTINUE STRONG GROWTH
Latest TTF stats show the pace of growth is slowing but import volumes are still increasing SUMMARY
■ Monthly timber import volumes are exceeding one million m3
■ The rate of growth is slowing as the year progresses
■ Softwood imports in the fi rst seven months were up 43.6%
■ France remains the largest supplier of oak to the UK
and planed goods was up 132%. Hardwood imports over the comparison period were also up, this time by 26%. Cumulative volume from January-July was 300,000m3
(2020: 238,000m3 ).
The headline stat from the latest figures from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) is that the volume of timber and panel products imported by the UK in the first seven months of 2021 was close to being 2 million m3
more
than in the same period in 2020, which, of course, was the worst affected period of the pandemic that year.
TTF Timber Statistics Industry Facts & Figures, October 2021 goes on to report that the month of July 2021 was yet another one million m3
/month, making it the fourth month of the year-to-date when volumes exceeded a million. The last time that four months of more than a million m3
were recorded was in
2007, which was a record year. The statistics also note, however, that the rate of growth is slowing and that imports in July this year were 18% higher than in July 2020 – whereas April’s imports were 105% higher than April 2020, the first month of the first lockdown.
Softwood imports between January- July were up 43.6% on the year-on-year comparison, with cumulative volume for the period at 4,728,000m3
(2020: 3,292,000m3 ).
Despite Sweden’s shipments to the UK having grown by 20% in the first seven months of this year, its share has fallen significantly thanks to even higher growth rates from Germany, Finland and Latvia. Softwood values continued to rise in July and for the year-to-date were £1.3bn. The value of all sawn goods was up 104%
The biggest increases in import volumes during the first seven months of this year have been from the Baltic states, but there has also been growth from other suppliers of temperate hardwoods, including oak. Higher volumes of oak have been imported from Canada, Italy, Poland and Spain. More oak has also come from the US, although its market share has still fallen from 17% in 2020, to 15%. France exported 10% less volume this year to date but still remains the UK’s largest supplier of oak, just ahead of the US. Total plywood imports were up by 15.4% on the comparison periods, with cumulative volume from January-July at 919,000m3 (2020: 796,000m3
).
Within that, hardwood imports were up 26.4%, with cumulative volume for January- July at 635,000m3
(2020: 502,000m3 ).
The TTF notes “a subtle change” in supply, with the biggest suppliers – China, Finland, Malaysia and Indonesia all increasing volumes to the UK (collectively by 30%)
but with smaller suppliers, including Spain, Austria, Italy, Germany, Brazil and Thailand also shipping more to the UK. Conversely, softwood plywood imports were down over the period – by 3.4%, with cumulative volume from January-July at 284,000m3
(2020: 294,000m3 ).
Volumes from Brazil were down by 21% in the comparison period, while China and Finland made some significant increases to their supply. Interestingly, average Brazilian softwood plywood prices increased by 31%, while those from China and Finland fell by 3% and 6% respectively.
Chipboard imports were up 24% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume January-July at 384,000m3
(2020: 310,00m3 ).
Germany is still the UK’s largest supplier, accounting for 30%, while Belgium has leapfrogged France and is now the second largest supplier, accounting for 19% (France is at 16%). Imports from Portugal have also risen, now accounting for 15% of UK supply. OSB imports were up 47.1% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 288,000m3
(2020: 196,000m3 ). ■ ).
MDF imports were also up – by 39.8%, with cumulative volume at 500,000m3 358,000m3
Softwood Imports by Main Country, Jan - July 2021
10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50
0 5
43.0 36.0 Sweden
19.0 21.0 Latvia
10.0 14.0 Finland
7.0 10.0 Germany
6.0 4.0 Irish Republic (2020:
2020 2021
6.0 4.0 Russia
The TTF 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 | November/December 2021 | TTJ
% of Total
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