UK solid timber imports remained depressed in the first two months of the year, offsetting an upturn in panel products shipments, according to latest statistics from The Timber Trade Federation (TTF).
Overall industry imports were down 5.6% on January and February 2010, but the downturn was entirely accounted for by solid wood, which fell 13%, while panel products imports increased 9%.
Softwood imports dipped 12.8% over the period to 613,000m³, with February down 8.6% on the same month in 2010, making it the third consecutive month of decline.
Hardwood imports were down 13.8% over the first two months of 2010 at 65,000m³. American volumes increased marginally in the period, taking their market share to 30%, while African rose 6%. European fell 25%.
Hardwood plywood imports dipped again in February, but increased 21.6% in the two-month period overall to 224,000m³, with only Malaysia of the key suppliers seeing contraction. Softwood plywood imports rose 2.4% to 72,000m³.
Chipboard imports fell 12.8% to 63,000m³ and exports fell 60.8% to 17,000m³.
OSB imports rose 16.9% to 35,000m³ and MDF 10.1% to 107,000m3. Exports of the two were also up, 37.3% to 24,000m³ and 73% to 28,000m³ respectively.
