According to the Timber Trade Federation’s (TTF) latest statistics, released today, in the first five months of the year, solid wood and panel products imports combined increased by 18% on the same period in 2013, and by 19% and 17% respectively. The volume increase was nearly 600,000m3.
The total import volume was higher for each month from January to May but the TTF points out that volumes improved as 2013 progressed so growth for the remaining seven months of 2014 will be harder to achieve.
Softwood volumes increased by 19.1%, while the value rose by 28%, or £100m. All major suppliers increased volumes but market share slipped for Sweden, Finland and Ireland, which all recorded below average growth.
Hardwood import volumes for the five months were up 18.1% on the year. The US grew more by volume than other main suppliers, exporting 18% more to the UK.
Plywood imports increased by 10.7%, while the 9.1% rise in hardwood plywood volumes was attributed almost entirely to China, which shipped 33,000m3 more than the same period in 2013. In May, China accounted for 56% of the UK’s hardwood plywood imports.
Softwood plywood volumes rose by 13.7% and volume growth from Brazil and China, and to a lesser extent Chile, meant Finland lost market share.
Chipboard imports increased by 29.6% on the year; OSB by 8.4%; and MDF by 19.5%.
