Import figures for 2021 were around 16% higher than in 2020, with the total of 11.7 million m3 being the highest annual volume since 2007.

This are the findings of the latest Timber Trade Federation statistics – TTF Timber Statistics Industry Facts & Figures, March 2022 – which go on to say that all of the growth came from the first three quarters of the year, with the final quarter “substantially down” on Q4, 2020.

In fact, import volume in Q4, 2021 was around 28% lower than in Q4, 2020. The TTF points out, though, that this drop in volume needs to be set against the context of the very high volumes of timber imports in the preceding four quarters as the industry recovered from the initial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The TTF also notes that the effect of the current war in Ukraine is likely to result in more instability in the period ahead. The figures quoted in this report do not yet reflect that, of course.

Softwood imports for the 2021 calendar year were up 14.7% on the January-December 2020 year-on-year comparison. Cumulative volume for the period was 7,578,000m3 (2020: 6,608,000m3).

This means that softwood imports were virtually a million m3 higher in 2021 than in 2020, an increase led by Germany, Finland and Latvia, which collectively accounted for 84% of the growth in volume. This resulted in their share of supply to the UK increasing – Germany’s from 8% in 2020 to 11% in 2021; Finland’s from 12% in 2020 to 13% in 2021; and Latvia’s increasing from 20% in 2020 to 21% in 2021.

Swedish volumes were slightly below 2020 levels, and the country’s supply share went from 41% in 2020 to 35% in 2021.

The value of all softwood imports in 2021 increased by 84%, with the value of sawn goods up 71% and planed goods more than doubling – up 101%.

Hardwood imports were also up in 2021, showing an increase of 21.2% over the January-December 2020 volume. Cumulative volume for the period was 536,000m3 (2020: 442,000m3).

All the leading countries of supply contributed to this growth in import volume, with the Republic of Ireland and Lithuania joining the leading group. The US remains the largest single supplying country, accounting for 15% of the UK’s hardwood imports, with Latvia at 13%.

The TTF notes that the share of hardwood imports from Europe rose to nearly 70% of the total in 2021, and that good growth in volume was also recorded as coming from Africa.

All plywood imports were up 13.1% last year on the 2020 total. Cumulative volume from January-December was 1,541,000m3 (2020: 1,362,000m3).

Within the total, hardwood plywood imports were up 20.5% on the period, with cumulative volume for the calendar year at 1,084,000m3 (2020: 900,000m3).

Over 90% of the 184,000m3 increase in hardwood plywood imports into the UK was accounted for by combined increases from China, Finland and Indonesia, said the TTF.

Meanwhile, softwood plywood imports in the year were down on January-December 2020, although only by 1.2%. Cumulative volume for 2021 was 457,000m3 (2020: 462,000m3).

The TTF notes that “the striking feature in the import of softwood supply in 2021 has been the switching of supply from Brazil and Chile, to China and Finland”.

Finland’s 30% increase in volume and a more than trebling of volume from China replaced the volume lost from Chile and Brazil almost exactly.

Chipboard imports were up 18.3% in 2021, with cumulative volume for January- December at 698,000m3 (2020: 590,000m3).

Last year’s growth was driven by a 32% increase in volume from Germany and a 35% increase from Portugal.

Conversely, volumes from France fell by 9%.

OSB imports in 2021 were 11.4% higher than in the 2020, with cumulative volume from January-December 2021 at 461,000m3 (2020: 413,000m3).

MDF imports were up 23.7% in 2021, with cumulative volume from January-December 2021 at 878,000m3 (2020: 710,000m3).