The Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) says the country’s production of sawn and planed timber hit a new record of about 13.6 million m3 in 2003.
FFIF’s Paper and Wood Yearbook 2004 says production levels last year were 3% higher than 2002.
Finland also exported about 8.2 million m3 of sawn and planed goods in 2003, 0.5% less than the previous year. After several years of growth, export of planed goods dipped by 1 million m3 – 8% less than in 2002.
Operating results in the sawmill industry averaged about 0.5% last year, with sawn redwood products showing a slight profit and sawn whitewood making a loss. After financial expenses, sawmills showed a “considerable” loss for both wood species.
Finland’s plywood manufacture reached about 1.3 million m3 in 2003, an increase of 5% on 2002.
