UK wood-based panel import volumes are still outperforming solid wood imports in terms of growth, according to new figures.
The latest Timber Trade Federation’s Timber Statistics bulletin shows that solid wood imports were 13.6% lower and panel product imports were 5.7% higher. Chipboard imports are now close to being higher so far this year than a year ago.
During the first eight months of 2011, UK imports of solid wood and the main panel products were 7.8% lower than a year ago.
China is still the dominant player in hardwood plywood with 49% of the market, with Malaysia losing 6% of its share. Uruguay has trebled its UK export volumes to 26,000m³ to date in 2011, claiming 4% of the UK market.
Brazil remains the largest supplier of softwood plywood with 40%, but has lost 9% market share, mainly due to increasing Chinese imports, which have doubled market share to 22%.
Chipboard imports totalled 305,000m³, only 1,000m³ below last year’s volumes, with Germany and Portugal growing their market shares. The latter’s market share of 9% now matches the Republic of Ireland’s.
Germany is the largest chipboard supplier with a 33% share, followed by France with 29%. Portugal was the third largest supplier in August with a 17% market share.
On the softwood front, volumes rose to 3.1 million m³ up to August (2010: 3.6 million m³), with Sweden increasing its market share by three percentage points to 46%. Latvia and Finland are joint second largest suppliers at 13%, followed by Germany at 7%.
Hardwood imports are running 11.9% below 2010, with 284,000m³ imported up until August.
The US, France and Italy have cemented the dominant roles, together supplying 45% of all hardwood imports, compared with 36% a year ago. All three countries increased their market share by three percentage points, to 26%, 10% and 9% respectively.
African hardwood imports rose 10,000m³ during the period to 48,000m³.
