The contrast between the start of 2022 and 2021 continues to be noteworthy, with imports of the main timber and panel products in the first four months of this year remaining 15% (3.5 million m3) below the same period last year – solid wood imports were 20% lower and panel product imports were 3% lower in the comparison periods.
These are the latest figures from the Timber Trade Federation (TTF) – TTF Timber Statistics Industry Facts & Figures, July 2022. The TTF notes the huge distortion in trade over the last three years, with large percentage falls in 2020 and even larger percentage increases in 2021. It adds that the total change in UK import volumes is largely driven by the performance of softwood imports.
Softwood imports in the January-April comparison periods were down 22.8%, with cumulative volume at 2,073,000m3 (2021: 2,684,000m3). The TTF points out that this drop disguises the fact that the first four month period of 2022 has been one of the better four months (to April) over the last five years.
Most of the leading countries of supply exported less to the UK in 2022 to date, with the exception of the Republic of Ireland, which exported 42% more.
The value of softwood imports was around 9% higher in the first four months of this year, compared to the same period in 2021. The value of £715m in 2022 to date was generated by a 41% increase in average price on a 23% drop in volume.
In contrast, hardwood imports were up 23.4% in the comparison periods, with cumulative volume January-April at 212,000m3 (2021: 172,000m3). More than a quarter of all the volume was accounted for by Latvia, which shipped more than double its usual quantity to the UK in the four month period. Its share of supply has shot up from 14% between January-April 2021 to 24% this year.
Total plywood imports were up 6% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 587,000m3 (2021: 553,000m3).
Within this total, hardwood plywood was up 11.5%, with cumulative volume for the period at 401,000m3 (2021: 359,000m3). China increased its volumes of hardwood plywood to the UK by more than 50,000m3 in the first four months of this year.
Softwood plywood imports were down by 4.1%, with cumulative volume at 186,000m3 (2021: 194,000m3).
The TTF notes that the average price of softwood plywood has risen sharply in the first four months of this year, rising at nearly double the rate of hardwood plywood.
Chipboard imports were down 1.8% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 222,000m3 (2021: 226,000m3).
OSB imports were down 26.5% in the comparison period, with cumulative volume at 133,000m3 (2021: 178,000m3). Exports were up by a huge 158%, with cumulative volume to January-April at 60,000m3 (2021: 20,000m3).
MDF imports were down 6.5%, with cumulative volume at 259,000m3 (2021: 277,000m3). MDF exports were up 13.6%, with cumulative volume from January-April at 19,000m3 (2021: 17,000m3).
