Imports of the main timber and panel products in the first four months of 2023 were 9% lower (327,000m3 less) than over the same period in 2022.

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-onyear. 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 (2022: 214,000m3).

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 (2022: 105,000m3).

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 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 (2022: 587,000m3).

Within this total, hardwood plywood imports were down -30.1% in the year-onyear 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 most of this reduction – it shipped around 74,000m3 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.

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) , with exports to the UK down by 32,000m3, 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). MDF imports were also up, by +1.5%, with cumulative volume at 263,000m3 (2022:259,000m3).