Timbmet, the timber supplier and processor, has been recently acquired by Hadleigh Timber, owner of Meyer Timber. Continue reading "UK: Hadleigh Timber has acquired Timbmet"
Article archive
Finnish Logset Oy expands dealer network in Russia
Logset Oy, the Finnish forest machine manufacturer, plans to expand its dealer network in Russia. The company has already made contracts with Russian companies that are specialized in forest machine distribution and service. Continue reading "Finnish Logset Oy expands dealer network in Russia"
Setra reports 4.1% lower net sales for 2016
Wood products company Setra reported an operating profit of SEK 153 million (USD 17.3 million) for the full year 2016, which is more than 3 times higher than a year ago. Continue reading "Setra reports 4.1% lower net sales for 2016"
European parquet market reports progress in 2016
According to the first estimates of FEP (European Federation of the Parquet Industry) for the year which just ended, the consumption figures of the European Parquet Industry, after increasing by 0.5% in 2015, progress further by 2% in 2016. Continue reading "European parquet market reports progress in 2016"
Ipe leading growth in tropical US sawnwood imports
US imports of temperate and tropical sawn hardwood grew 11% in November to 70,376 cu.m. The value of sawn hardwood imports increased 4% from the previous month to US$39 million.
Imports of tropical species were up 9% in November in both volume and value following a brief one-month decline in October.
Tropical sawnwood imports were 20,702 cu.m. in November, worth US$21.5 million. Compared to the same time in 2015, year-to-date imports of tropical sawnwood were down 11%.
Much of the growth in tropical imports (and the October decline) was in imports of ipe sawnwood. Ipe imports grew 23% in November to 2,882 cu.m. Year-to-date imports of ipe were up 3% from November 2015. 2,554 cu.m. of ipe sawnwood were imported from Brazil in November.
Imports of jatoba, meranti, cedro, teak, keruing and padauk also recorded month-on-month growth in November. However, Sapelli sawnwood imports continued to decline. Imports were down 8% month-onmonth in November.
Imports of acajou also fell by almost one third in November. Year-to-date imports of acajou were 
significantly lower than at the same time in 2015.
By country, Brazil, Malaysia and Indonesia gained in November due to higher exports of ipe, keruing and meranti to the US. Imports from the major producers in Africa were down in November.
Canadian sapelli imports down in November
Canadian imports of tropical sawnwood were worth US$1.40 million (US dollars) in November, down 4% from the previous month. Year-to-date Canadian imports were up 16% from November 2016.
Sapelli sawnwood imports fell by one third in November to US$258,168. Imports of virola, imbuia and balsa (combined) grew from October with balsa imports from Ecuador accounting for approximately half of the growth.
Year-to-date most major exporters of tropical sawnwood to Canada gained over the same time last year, except several African suppliers. Canadian imports from Congo (formerly Brazzaville), Ghana and Congo (formerly Zaire) declined compared to January to November 2015.
Central/West Africa: Sawnwood versus logs – is sawnwood gaining in China and India?
As could be expected there were no price changes over the New Year holiday period. Exporters report that EU markets remain dull but that there are hints of a recovery in trade with China.
While prices for most species remain stable there has been considerable weakness in prices for some of the more frequently traded species.
Prices for sapele, for example, are under pressure due, say analysts, to the relatively high stock levels held by importers in Europe. Continue reading "Central/West Africa: Sawnwood versus logs – is sawnwood gaining in China and India?"
Global wood products production in its sixth consecutive year of growth
All major wood products global production increased for the sixth consecutive year in 2015, while trade in wood products decreased slightly.
According to new data published by FAO recently, the increase was mainly boosted by the continuous economic growth in Asia, a recovering housing market in North America and scaling up of the bioenergy targets.
The increase in the production volume of wood products varied between 1 and 8% in 2015, while the global trade value in primary wood and paper products shrank slightly from $267 billion in 2014 to $236 billion in 2015 due to lower prices for wood products. Production of forest products has been healthiest in Asia-Pacific and North America due to a growing housing market.
Fast growth in OSB wood panels
For the first time, the global figures on Oriented Strand Board (OSB) were introduced in the FAO statistical database, reflecting a growth of 7% in production and trade in 2015 from the previous year. This growth is twice as fast as in the sector of traditional wood panels and sawnwood.
OSB is a type of wood panel commonly used in construction. It is a relatively new product outside of North America where production took off in the 1990s and now growing fast in Europe (including the Russian Federation), while being poised to conquer Asian markets, in particular, China and Malaysia.
"Our data registers a healthy growth in the global production of wood products and a rapid growth in production and trade of relatively new products such as OSB wood panels and pellets, indicating that the forest industry is adapting to changes and has huge potential to become a key player in emerging bioeconomies. Increased use of modern wood-based building materials and energy assortments can contribute to lower net carbon dioxide emissions," said Mats Nordberg, FAO Senior Forestry Officer.
Electronic media driving down demand for graphic paper
Production of graphic paper for publishing and writing, fell 2.3% or by 3 million tons in just one year, reaching its lowest level since 1999. This decrease reflects a widespread global shift towards electronic media and mobile technology. This was particularly the case in North America and Europe, which had already shown a gradual decline in production and demand in previous years, but now other parts of the world are manifesting the same trend.
Recovered paper accounts for more than half (55%) or 225 million tonnes of all fibre used for paper production. This marks a 4% increase since 2013, a 54% increase since 2000, and a 337% increase since 1980.
Trade in pulp and recovered paper jumped by three percent in 2015 also due to production at new export-oriented pulp mills in Brazil and Uruguay recently coming on stream.
EU renewable energy targets supporting the boom in global wood pellet production
Worldwide wood pellet production might blow due to the growing demand for bioenergy, set by the renewable energy targets and policies in Europe.
The wood pellets production jumped to 28 million tons in 2015, a 8% increase over the level in the previous year (26 million tons) and a 47% increase over the 19 million tons from 2012.
The bioenergy demand has resulted in a ten-fold increase in production in the last decade. The Baltic States (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania), which produced and exported 3 million tonnes of pellets in 2015, overtook Germany and Canada and together emerged as the second largest producer and exporter of pellets after the US.
According to new data published by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), in 2015, the Baltic States accounted for 11% of production and 17% of exports globally.
Now, Canada is the 3rd largest pellets exporter and the 4th largest producer after Germany. The markets around the world were dominated by Europe and North America, while Canada and the US accounted for over one-third of global pellet production. At the same time, UK, Denmark and Italy took over 80% of the global pellet imports.
20% more European sawn beech timber exported to China
Beech sawn timber exports from Europe to China have increased by 20% during January-October 2016. Continue reading "20% more European sawn beech timber exported to China"
Price of Austrian wood pellets continue to rise at the beginning of the year
The price for Enplus A1 pellets in Austria got to an average of EUR 229.9 per tonne, or 4.69 Cent per kWh in January 2017. Continue reading "Price of Austrian wood pellets continue to rise at the beginning of the year"
China: Imports of softwood logs & lumber rebound in 2016 on high demand for wood products
China's imports of logs and lumber have rebounded strongly in 2016, from the slowdown in 2015. Also, softwood lumber imports recorded the highest import volumes ever.
China imported 48.7 million m³ of logs in 2016, an increase of 9% from 2015. Of the total log imports, softwood log imports were 33.7 million m³ (+13% as compared to 2015), Continue reading "China: Imports of softwood logs & lumber rebound in 2016 on high demand for wood products"
Brazil low wood fiber costs attracts investment in pulp production capacity
The export market for pulp produced in Brazil has become increasingly important for the pulp sector with the export share of domestic production having gone up from 55% in 2007 to almost 70% in 2016.
Pulp export volumes have expanded in an impressive fashion over the past two decades, with increased year-over-year shipments for 19 of the past 20 years. This trend continued in 2016, with export volumes likely to reach almost 13 million tons, an increase of about 11% from 2015.
Not surprisingly, China’s steady increase in demand for pulp the past decade has been the key driver to Brazil’s pulp export success story. Over one-third of Brazil’s exports were destined for China this year, up from 23% five years ago.
Brazil has become the second largest producer of wood-based pulp in the world behind the US, having surpassed Canada in 2016. The driving factors have been a combination of low wood fiber costs, a dramatically weakening Brazilian Real, and a steady increase in demand in particular for hardwood market pulp in China.
Over the past three years, wood fiber costs in Brazil have been approximately 60% of the manufacturing costs, according to Fisher International. The high cost share for wood fiber, together with being one the lowest-cost pulpwood regions of the world, has made Brazil’s pulp industry a very competitive pulp producer for many of the past 25 years.
In US dollar terms, Eucalyptus pulplog prices have fallen from a record-high in the 3Q/11 to a 12-year low in the 4Q/15. Since the end of 2015, wood fiber prices have gone up but are still substantially below their ten-year average.
The past two decades have not only been mostly good news for the pulp industry in Brazil, but also for timberland owners measuring their financial results in the Brazilian Real (BRL). In 2016, eucalyptus pulplog prices reached their highest level on record since WRQ started tracking pulplog prices in Brazil over 20 years ago. Current prices are about five percent higher than one year ago in the local currency, and 23% above the average price two years ago.
Kronospan invests EUR 21 million in expanding particleboard and MDF production capacity in Bulgaria
Kronospan will invest EUR 21.8 million in expanding the production capacity of its facilities in Bulgaria. The Austrian manufacturer has been investing since 1997 in Bulgaria and now owns three sites in the country. Continue reading "Kronospan invests EUR 21 million in expanding particleboard and MDF production capacity in Bulgaria"
Finnish roundwood prices on the way up at the end of 2016
The prices for roundwood in Finland increased in December 2016 over the same period of last year. Continue reading "Finnish roundwood prices on the way up at the end of 2016"
Lumber prices in the US face sloppy start of 2017
Many framing lumber traders started the year at a disappointing level, due to the wintry weather. Moreover, the uncertainty surrounding the U.S.-Canada trade dispute and a new administration in Washington also played an important role for the bad start of 2017. Continue reading "Lumber prices in the US face sloppy start of 2017"
Latest prices for Brazilian logs, sawnwood and plywood
Latest prices for Brazilian logs, sawnwood and plywood prices (1-15 January 2017) Continue reading "Latest prices for Brazilian logs, sawnwood and plywood"
Domotex 2017: Fresh wind in the sails of the global wood flooring industry
After four action-packed days, DOMOTEX 2017 drew to a close, chalking up considerable growth in terms of its exhibitor lineup and the total amount of space booked, and with an even higher percentage of exhibitors and visitors from abroad.
A total of 1,409 exhibitors from more than 60 countries showcased their latest innovations to a global audience at the Hannover Exhibition Center, once again impressively highlighting the innovative spirit and high performance capability of the floor coverings industry.
"Thanks to its strong exhibitor lineup, myriad innovations and unparalleled international scope and reach, DOMOTEX has impressively underscored its reputation as the international floor covering industry's leading marketplace and showcase for innovations. Our exhibitors were particularly pleased with the high caliber of the international audience they encountered here, while the show's visitors, for their part, responded enthusiastically to the globally unrivalled array of offerings at DOMOTEX," remarked Dr. Andreas Gruchow, the Deutsche Messe Managing Board member in charge of DOMOTEX, on the last day of the show. " Innovations@DOMOTEX and the new Young Designer Trendtable , in particular, delivered a great deal of valuable inspiration and highlighted DOMOTEX as a place that puts innovations on center stage."
Professionals of even higher caliber in attendance
Another outstanding feature of the event was the high percentage of attending professionals and decision-makers (91 percent). Attendance by members of the skilled trades – especially layers of parquet and other flooring – was up by 15 to 20 percent, and the numbers for visiting wholesale professionals rose accordingly. Around 90 percent of the show's attendees were decision-makers who came to the show with firm purchasing intent. Not only that, but DOMOTEX also attracted more information-seeking interior designers, contract business professionals and decorators.
Flooring trends
With a wide array of creative ideas, innovative materials and smart solutions on show in 2017, the industry once again demonstrated just how attractive floor coverings can be. The latest trends revealed a strong focus on sustainability and natural-looking designs.
There is strong demand for eco-friendly designer products, as well as for laminate and designer flooring with surfaces of such deceptively natural appearance that they can hardly be discerned from real wood. In the case of wood flooring, "used" and grainy patterns and finishes are in, and the resulting products delight customers in an inexhaustible array of different colors, shapes and formats. Herringbone patterns are also back in vogue.
Carpeting in the form of tiles and planks continues to gain in popularity. In terms of color, carpets in subdued sand and stone hues are trending, as are vibrant colors and sophisticated patterns. Innovative floor laying systems are creating opportunities for simple, flexible and environmentally friendly application techniques.
Innovations@DOMOTEX once again a crowd-puller
Among the highlights at this year's event were the popular Innovations@DOMOTEX areas in halls 6, 9 and 17, where center stage belonged to a host of outstanding new products and fresh approaches in textile and resilient floor coverings, parquet and laminate flooring as well as contemporary hand-made rugs. This special showcase gave visitors a valuable source of inspiration and orientation, and a concise way of discovering all the latest products and trends.
Participants in the DOMOTEX Guided Tours were taken by expert guides to see selected products and ideas as highlighted by exhibitors at their stands. The Innovations@DOMOTEX Talks featured international stars of the scene, including the renowned Alfredo Häberli and designers from Büro Caramel (Vienna), Sauerbruch Hutton (Berlin), Peter Haimerl. Architektur (Munich), and Plajer & Franz Studio (Berlin).
In a rich series of discussions, lectures and special tours, the experts explored topics such as how to design "people-friendlier" living spaces, how to meet tomorrow's flooring needs, and what the best environments are for service providers, as well as how optimizing spaces can set new benchmarks in interior design.
Visions for the floor coverings of tomorrow
Apart from showcasing trends for the upcoming season, DOMOTEX also offered an exciting look at the future of floor design. The new Young Designer Trendtable gave up-and-coming designers from five European countries the chance to formulate and present their visions for the flooring of tomorrow.
With individually designed spaces, these talented creators brought their visions to life in a brand-new kind of showcase. They showed how traditional skills can contribute to modern manufacturing processes, how materials such as marble and stone can be used in unusual ways, how hard and soft materials can be combined to great effect, and how temporarily used rooms can be approached from a fresh angle.
This made the Young Designer Trendtable a major attraction, not only for visiting professionals, but also for exhibitors in search of inspiration.
"Formats such as the Young Designer Trendtable open up new perspectives at DOMOTEX. I am amazed at the diversity on display here, ranging from handcrafted one-off pieces to products manufactured on an industrial scale," commented Alfredo Häberli during the show.
In Hall 17, innovative designers such as Creative Matters, Hossein Rezvani, Rug Art, Rug Star Wool & Silk Rugs and Zollanvari presented their sumptuous hand-made carpet creations, setting new standards and pointing the way to future trends. The Carpet Design Awards were presented for the world's finest designer carpets and rugs. Offered for the twelfth time at this year's DOMOTEX, this international award is considered the "Oscar" of avant-garde carpets.
Kronospan plans expansion in Belarus
Belarus plans to carry out new projects together with Kronospan Group, with the Austrian company planning to invest up to $200 million in the country. Continue reading "Kronospan plans expansion in Belarus"
Titan Group’s sawmill Leszavod 25 increased production in 2016
Titan Group’s Leszavod 25 (Sawmill 25) increased sawing volume to 1,158 thousand m3, which represents 2% increase to 2015 level. Continue reading "Titan Group’s sawmill Leszavod 25 increased production in 2016"
Anti-dumping investigation in US continues for plywood from China
The US Department of Commerce will continue to conduct its anti-dumping and countervailing duty investigations on imports of hardwood plywood from China. A judgment on countervailing duties is due February 13, 2017, and its preliminary anti-dumping duty determination is expected around April 27, 2017. Continue reading "Anti-dumping investigation in US continues for plywood from China"
Sweden: Promotion in China pays off with high rise in softwood timber exports
China’s softwood timber imports from Sweden have been increasing in recent years due to the fact that the Sweden has organized and participated in promotional activities in China. Continue reading "Sweden: Promotion in China pays off with high rise in softwood timber exports"
