UK softwood importers are reporting price rises and shortages in certain specifications due to the knock-on effects of industrial action in Finland’s paper industry.
The dispute, finally resolved on July 1 after more than six weeks of lockouts, caused a large portion of the Finnish sawmilling sector to implement early summer shutdowns or reduce shifts. The mills have suffered from log shortages and woodchip stockpiles due to the lockouts.
One UK importer said: “It will have an impact where sawmills are integrated on the same site as pulp facilities.
“There are a number of importers who will have problems with deliveries in July and August.”
He said timber prices had already started to rise and certain timber specifications may be difficult to source.
Another importer told TTJ: “I think it will take a bit of time to get the product back to normal.”
He expects high quality unsorted and fifths to be hit the hardest.
MDM Timber Ltd purchasing director Ken Fuller said the situation had moved prices in shippers’ favour and certain specifications were in short supply, such as 225mm widths. But he said price rises were “not warranted” and could lead to weakening in the market later in the year.
He said: “I would expect things to get back to normal midway through the third quarter. If consumption had been busy the effect would have been very severe but things are a bit sluggish at the moment so it’s not causing that much of problem.”
