The Celtic tiger is growling again after being reduced to a bit of a whimper during 2001, according to Leo Kennedy of Dublin-based LH Kennedy Ltd.
Speaking at the Plywood Club of London meeting last week, Mr Kennedy said the Irish economy was expected to grow at twice the average European rate during 2002.
Housebuilding remained strong with an anticipated 50,000 units, 15% of them timber frame, scheduled to be built each year for the next five years.
Ireland has the world’s third highest per capita consumption of MDF but demand had created an increase in the import of cheap components.
This had led to ‘assembly only’, reducing training and creating a skills shortage with much recruitment for carpenters and joiners now done in the UK.
Chipboard production is about 250,000m³, with apparent consumption at 150,000m³ and hardboard consumption between 10,000-15,000m³ per year.
The structure of the trade in Ireland, while similar to that in the UK, had some significant differences, said Mr Kennedy.
Trading both on the internet and in euros was now the norm and UK firms selling into Ireland were expected to deal only in euros.
