May 2024 was the best month of 2024 to-date for UK timber import volumes, according to the latest Timber Development UK (TDUK) statistics.
Timber import volumes in May were 897,000m3, just shy of the 969,000m3 recorded in May 2023, But the year-to-date figure (Jan to May) saw volumes approximately 4% down on those seen in 2023.
For May 2024 specifically, volumes were down 7% on those seen in May 2023, following a 5% increase on 2023 levels enjoyed during April.
Softwood imports were 4% lower, but some products have seen import levels grow. Planed spruce imports (45% of all softwood imports) were 3% higher, driven by good growth from Sweden (+4%), Latvia (+17%), Ireland (+18%) and Norway (+104%).
Price reductions of between 5% and 15% have contributed to growth from Latvia, Ireland and Norway, while Sweden has achieved good growth while maintaining prices.
Hardwood imports in the first five months of 2024, meanwhile, were around 20,000m3 lower than during the same period in 2023. France, Estonia, Romania, Cameroon and the Congo Republic have all increased their volumes exported to the UK in 2024 to date, albeit by relatively small amounts.
In the first five months of 2024, tropical hardwood imports were a little less than 3% below the volume over the same period in 2023 – amounting to around 1,000m3. The largest contributors to this reduction were the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Malaysia.
On the panel product front, TDUK says China now holds a 70% share of hardwood plywood imports, with a 6% increase to May 2024. A 3% total increase was recorded in all hardwood plywood imports in 2024 so far. According to HMRC statistics, the composition of this growth in 2024 has varied widely. Compared to 2023, the fall in birch-faced plywood has been virtually matched by the rise in eucalyptus-faced plywood.
Particleboard imports to May 2024 were just over 2% down on the same period in 2023. However, imports of the standard unworked variety of particleboard, accounting for 39% of all particleboard imports, have grown by 13% in 2024 so far.
MDF import volumes for 2024 are currently 4% below the same period in 2023.
“The sluggish construction sector as a whole has clearly had an impact on timber imports and sales to date this year, but it’s reassuring to see that certain product types, such as planed spruce, standard particleboard, hardwood plywood and some grades of MDF have seen growth this year,” said TDUK head of technical and trade Nick Boulton.
Mr Boulton said it was still “early days” for the current new Government to get a real sense of how its plans for the housebuilding sector will have a tangible impact on the timber market.
TDUK members can sign in and read the full report on the TDUK website.
