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Central/West Africa: Log exports influenced by low EU demand

Posted on by GWMI Admin

The current quiet market demand in Europe continues unchanged from January and this is expected to remain through until the end of the first quarter, and possibly well into April or May. On the other hand, West and Central African exporters report good steady business in the Middle East and also a discernible improvement in demand in Asian markets where purchases did not slow over the New Year period this year as much as in previous years.
Demand for logs continues to be buoyant with okoume the market leader. There are reports of an upturn in sales okan and reports of tali prices firming, all of which is good news. Padouk prices continue to be rather volatile depending on whether or not buyers for India are in the market. Currently, padouk prices are easing.
Hints of weakening demand in France baffle analysts
Producers report a few minor price changes due mainly to shifts in demand for individual species or specifications rather than any significant change in market conditions. However, demand from French importers has weakened but analysts are hard pressed to pinpoint the precise reason for this.
The economy in France, while not strong, has not shown any particular weakness. It may be that some large infrastructure projects have been shelved or that work on these has been delayed. The indications are that the furniture and smaller carpentry businesses in France are reasonably busy satisfying the renovation market.
Shift to alternatives and substitutes
Producers are sensing some fundamental changes in species preferences and are detecting a trend towards the use of temperate hardwoods rather than tropical timbers. This change in taste has also been seen in the UK and other European countries but seems to have taken hold in wider markets. Compounding the concerns of tropical timber producers is the growing interest of consumers in substitute materials such as plastics for doors and window construction instead of the traditional wooden framing.
Producers confident of medium term prospects, but
Producers appear reasonably confident that the current market stability will be maintained for the short to medium term but are expressing some concern over the slight downturn in orders for the French market.
However, it is hard to see any resurgence in European demand for tropical timbers even over the longer term unless there is some serious and targeted promotion to retake market share from temperate timbers.
There seems little immediate prospect in the markets of Spain and Greece, once major consumers of tropical timber and while the Italian market for some specific timbers has held up fairly well, even here uncertain economic conditions suggest a slowing of demand.
Log Export Prices

West Africa logs, FOB € per m³
Asian market
LM
B
BC/C
Acajou/ Khaya/N'Gollon
220
220
 155
Ayous/Obéché/Wawa
225
210
150
Azobe & Ekki
235
230
150
Belli
230
230
-
Bibolo/Dibétou
150
145
Iroko 250
225
210
Okoume (60% CI, 40% CE, 20% CS) (China only) 335▲ 330▲
-
Moabi 280▼ 270▼ -
Movingui 215▼
215▼
175
Niove
165
165
-
Okan
250
 250
-
Padouk
310
 280
210
Sapele
280
270
180
Sipo/Utile
310
285
190
Tali 300▲ 300▲
-

                                                                                                                                         Sawnwood Export Prices

West Africa sawnwood, FOB
€ per m³
Ayous FAS GMS 340▲
Bilinga FAS GMS 520
Okoumé FAS GMS
480
FAS. fixed sizes 255
Std/Btr GMS
350
Sipo FAS GMS
550
FAS fixed sizes -
FAS scantlings 550
Padouk FAS GMS 790▼
FAS scantlings 790▼
Strips 400
Sapele FAS Spanish sizes 535
FAS scantlings
555
Iroko FAS GMS 565
Scantlings 590
Strips
440
Khaya FAS GMS
450
FAS fixed
470
Maobi FAS GMS
550
Scantlings
550
Movingui FAS GMS
410

EGGER wants to expand particleboard production in Gagarin

Posted on by GWMI Admin

In 2011, the Austrian panel manufacturer EGGER acquired the Russian particleboard manufacturer “OOO Gagarinskiy Fanerniy Zavod” in Gagarin. Last weeek, the Russian media reported that EGGER will invest approximately 1 billion rubles (EUR 20,4 million) in expanding its capacity at Gagarin.
The investment project is called 'Production of veneered particleboard (CT 4)', and consists in the construction of new production areas, procurement and installation of equipment. The plant will create 25 new jobs.
Gagarin, situated 150 km west of Moscow, has a raw particleboard production of 500,000 m³ capacity and an upgrading capacity of 20 mill. m² per year. Gagarin also has a forestry operation with 80,000 hectares.

Austrian wood pellets at stable prices

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In February 2014, the price survey done by proPellets Austria resulted in an average price of € 26.43 €-Cent per kg of wood pellets (for a 6 tonnes purchase) or 5.39 Cent per kWh.
As compared to the same month of last year, pellets are more expensive by +5.2%. Compared to January 2014, the price has slightly decreased by -0.6%.
Wood pellets in bags cost an average of 4.31 € per 15 kg sack (when ordered by the pallet). This represents a +7.2% increase year on year, and the same price as in Januay 2014 (+/- 0.0%).

Schweighofer plans huge sawmill in the Czech Republic

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Schweighofer wants to build a large sawmill in Southern Bohemia, in Vodňan, Czech media recently reported. The only obstacle is that the decision should be taken after a local referendum, which should or not approve the construction of the new Schweighofer plant.
It is the fifth time when the Austrian company tries to acquire a site in the Czech Republic, but every time the company received refusals from the local communities. If approved, Schweighofer's new sawmill will have an annual output of one million cubic metres. This would mean one fifth of all Czech exports.
The company's main target with its 'potential' new sawmill is to export its production to Austria, where already more than 2 million cubic metres of logs per year are shipped from the Czech Republic. The total investment that Schweighofer plans into the sawmill is estimated at 4 billion CZK (approximately EUR 146 million).
Now it all turns to Vodňan's local community, which has already engaged a private independent consulting company to analyse the economical impact of the investment. 'Depending on the results of the study, the people will decide,' said the mayor of the Vodňan city.

IKEA divests operations in Karelia

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After the February suspension of the FSC forest management certificate in Karelia for its subsidiary Swedwood, IKEA announced in a press release that the company 'will divest the sawmill operation in Swedwood Karelia, with the main ambition to have an external part taking over the sawmill operation'.
Therefore, the company will switch production from Swedwood Karelia to Swedwood Tikhvin. 'By concentrating the production of solid wood components to Swedwood Tikhvin a more efficient supply will be achieved,' said Robert Mann, General Director Swedwood Karelia and Swedwood Tikhvin. Moreover, IKEA states that 'the forest leases in Karelia will be returned together with the documentation, information and plans created for a responsible forest management.'
For many years, IKEA was strongly criticized for allowing its subsidiary Swedwood, to practice questionable forestry management in Karelia. More specific, Swedwood was accused of ''felling the last untouched taiga sites'' in Northern Karelia and also that it had clear-cut areas of old-growth forest containing 200-600 year-old trees.
In another recent official press release, IKEA considers these allegations as 'mainly cover issues related to facilities and equipment for IKEA (Swedwood) co-workers, forestry management as well as training of the company's forestry co-workers'. A majority of the deviations have already been corrected and the company's full focus is now on correcting the remaining deviations and reinstating the FSC certificate urgently, said the company in the PR.
IKEA sees the suspension of the certificate as highly temporary, and even if disappointed of the suspension, the company believes that the certificate suspension shows that the FSC system is working.

Japanese lumber demand to drop sharply in 2014

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The Japanese Forestry Agency held a meeting for wood products demand projection in December last year. It drew up demand projection for the first quarter and second quarters of this year. According to this, the first quarter would stay without much change but the second quarter would drop related to the end of rush orders in late last year.

Projections of domestic logs for lumber production in the first quarter are 3,090,000 cbms, 4.1% more than the first quarter last year then for the second quarter are 3,040,000 cbms, 2.4% less. Logs for plywood for the first quarter are 740,000 cbms, 2.9% more then the second quarter are 750,000 cbms, 5.2% less. Total for the first quarter is up by 3.9% then for the second quarter is down by 2.9%.

Imported logs for the 1st quarter are 1,105,000 cbms, 1.2% down then for the 2nd quarter are 1,095,000 cbms, 14.6% down. Imported lumber for the 1st quarter is 1,695,000 cbms, 1.4% down then for the 2nd quarter is 1,800,000 cbms, 14.8% down.

Drop of both logs and lumber for the 2nd quarter is larger than the 1st but this is due to large volume for the 2nd quarter last year and the volume of logs remain unchanged from the 1st quarter and lumber volume actually increases for the 2nd quarter.

As to North American lumber, import of the 1st quarter would increase by 2.2% because of declining inventories but the 2nd quarter would drop by 10.6% by declining demand. European lumber, which inventory is high, would drop by 7.4% in the 1st quarter and by 21.2% in the 2nd quarter. Radiata pine logs and lumber would increase as export cargoes would grow.

Both domestic and imported structural laminated lumber would increase for the 1st quarter with 535,000 cbms, 7.9% up then drop in the 2nd quarter with 540,000 cbms, 7.9% down. Domestic plywood would increase for both 1st and 2nd quarter by 9.0% and 2.3% but the imports would decrease so total would be 1,570,000 cbms for the 1st quarter (1.1% down) and 1,590,000 cbms for the 2nd quarter (5.6% down). Forecast of the seasonally adjusted annual housing starts are 997,000 units for the 4th quarter 2013, 925,000 units for the 1st quarter and 859,000 units for the 2nd quarter.

Norway: 51% increase in softwood logs exports to the EU

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Statistics Norway reported at the end of January the highest rate of roundwood cut in 20 years. A total of 9 million cubic metres of roundwood were cut in 2013; 230,000 cubic metres more than in 2012.
In line with these record production levels, Norway's exports to the EU countries are also performing very well. The volume of softwood logs shipped by Norway to the European Union member countries, from January to November 2013, has increased by 51% over the same period of 2012. In value the surge is of 41% (up to EUR 144,2 million).
This upward trend is following the similar trend registered in 2012, when year on year, the volume shipped by Norway to the EU rose by 76%.
Already by November 2013, the volume of Norwegian softwood logs exports has exceeded the entire volume exported in 2012 by 36%. (1,69 million cbm in Jan.-Dec. 2012 vs. 2,31 million cbm in Jan-Nov. 2013).
In the EU, Norway has two main export partners: Sweden, which in J.-N. 2013 had an overall share of the Norwegian softwood logs exports of 79%, and Germany with a share of 20%.
Conversely, Norway covers more 41% of all softwood logs imported by Sweden and it is its main supplier. As for Germany, it ranks only 5th (6,7% share) at the moment.

Norway softwood logs exports to the EU (in cubic metres)
 Jan.-Nov. 2012 Jan.-Nov. 2013 Change in %
Sweden 1,258,024 1,836,635 46%
Germany 269,966 475,688 76%
Others (insignificant) - - -
Total 1,528,350 2,313,101 51%

The statistics are based on Eurostat. HS Codes: 440320, 44032011, 44032031, 44032091.

Norway softwood logs exports to the EU (in EUR)
 Jan.-Nov. 2012 Jan.-Nov. 2013 Change in %
Sweden 79,584,370 107,871,499 36%
Germany 22,941,671 36,209,490 58%
Others (insignificant) - - -
EU-Total 102,645,450 144,288,799 41%

The statistics are based on Eurostat. HS Codes: 440320, 44032011, 44032031, 44032091.

Södra to double production at Traryd sawmill

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As of April 1, 2014, Södra Timber will double production and working shifts at its sawmill in Traryd, Sweden.
''The market has shifted and the order books are full. This is why we feel ready to take this step,'' said Håkan Svensson, CEO of Södra Timber.
The Traryd sawmill saws both hardwoods (oak and birch) but also softwoods (pine).
The demand for hardwood products is huge in China, Southeast Asia and Sweden; for softwood timber the largest markets are the UK and the Netherlands, said the company.
Thus, with two shifts Södra will double the sawmill production up to 30,000 cubic metres. Of this, 20,000 cubic metres will be softwood, where everything is planed for construction timber, and the rest of 10,000 cubic metres of hardwood (oak and birch) will be used for flooring and furniture.
The demand for birch has been increasing and we would like to rise our volumes, Mr. Svensson continued. In addition, there is a high demand on fine qualities of oak, he added. For this purpose, Södra wants to stimulate felling and has made offers to forest owners who want to subcontract or deliver coarser oak in the spring.

Huge biomass plant inaugurated in the Netherlands

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At the beginning of February the Dutch Utility company Eneco has inaugurated its Bio Golden Raand biomass power plant, located in Farmsum Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The company claims that the plant ''is the largest and most efficient bio-energy power plant in the Benelux''.
In the plant, which is located in the port area of the municipality of Delfzijl, scrap wood and wood waste are converted to green electricity used to generate 49.9MW of renewable power. The capacity of the plant is comparable with the electricity consumption of approximately 120,000 households and will reduce CO2 emissions by 250,000 tonnes a year.
Eneco says that the new plant requires no less than 50 truckloads of wood per day or approximately 300,000 tons of wood per year.

Stora Enso improves efficiency in Central European sawmills 

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Stora Enso is planning to invest EUR 28 million in modernising and developing Murow sawmill in Poland to increase its capacity and improve its competitiveness, the company announced in a press release.
Stora Enso is rethinking its geographical mix as part of its transformation into a renewable materials company. The investment in Murow sawmill will develop Stora Enso’s wood product offering in the growing Central and Eastern European markets. Stora Enso will also utilise the platform in Poland to support growth in selected overseas markets.

“Stora Enso already has a well-established position in wood markets and is seen as a reliable partner. This investment in a strong growth market will enable us to serve existing and new customers even better in the future,” says Karl-Henrik Sundström, Executive Vice President, Stora Enso Printing and Living.

The investment in Murow sawmill will increase Stora Enso’s consumption of Polish saw logs. The production capacity of the sawmill will rise to 140 000 m³/shift/year. Over the next five years, Stora Enso plans to increase the sawmill’s output gradually to 400 000 m³ per year.

Strong upsurge in UK tropical hardwood imports

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Tropical hardwood imports fell sharply throughout the EU during the prolonged winter in late 2012 and early 2013 when European construction activity reached an all-time low. Since then market conditions have diverged widely between countries.

Imports into the UK have rebounded so strongly that, by the end of 2013, the country had emerged as the largest single EU importer of tropical hardwood products. Imports into France recovered well until August 2013 but then fell sharply in the autumn months. Imports into Belgium spiked in March 2013, but then declined progressively throughout the rest of the year.

The closure of DLH's stock-holding operation in Belgium during 2013 may well have been a factor in this decline. After a long period of recession, the Dutch market and several Southern European markets including Italy, Spain and Greece, were showing signs of recovery at the end of 2013.

Imports into Portugal continued to decline throughout 2013, very much in line with construction sector activity in the country which was weakening last year. There are also indications that joinery manufacturers in Portugal are shifting away from tropical hardwoods in favour of temperate species.

The same trend is apparent in Germany, the largest single consumer of wood products in the EU, where tropical wood imports were low and declining during 2013.

Also read:

Brazilian panel company orders particleboard plant from Siempelkamp

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For its Curitibanos location in the Brazilian State of Paraná, the wood-based panel manufacturer Berneck S.A. Paineis Serrados ordered a Siempelkamp particleboard line including a 9' x 38.7 m ContiRoll® press. This is the fourth plant from the Krefeld machine builder for the customer from South America. Berneck operates a MDF plant at the same location as well as a MDF and a particleboard line in Curitiba/Araucária.

Next to the forming and press line and the associated extraction systems including a Conti-Roll® vapor exhaust, Siempelkamp will supply the complete finishing line with a cooling and stacking line, an intermediate storage system as well as a sanding line including a 10-head sanding machine, the inline saw and a quality grading system.

A storage system, which is also part of the scope of supply, is equipped with a special warehouse management system. This system controls the complete material flow in the finishing area of both plants, the parti-cleboard line and the existing MDF line. Thus, the boards can be fed flexibly from both cool-ing and stacking lines to the storage and then to both sanding lines.

The forming and press line as well as the board finishing line are designed for high outputs. With the particleboard line for Berneck, Siempelkamp uses a two-stage approach. In the first stage the plant achieves a daily capacity of 1,200 m3. In the second stage the daily capacity doubles to 2,400 m3 of particleboard.

Next to particleboard and MDF/HDF, Berneck produces and sells lumber from pine or teak wood. 100% of the resources needed for production are from the company-owned plantations totaling more than 63,000 hectare (155,676 acres) of land. A total of 1,600 employees maintain international business relations with more than 60 countries.

The installation start for the particleboard plant is scheduled for the beginning of 2015.

Increasing global demand for American hardwoods

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In January, exports of North American hardwoods have performed well worldwide. Demand in China and Vietnam was high despite the Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tết holidays. Exports to Taiwan have also increased, while the Japanese market was stable. On the contrary, demand in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia has declined. Nevertheless in Asia, there are five of the ten largest markets in the world for North American hardwoods, the US online platform Woodworking Network (WWN) reported.

European purchases have also surged in January, especially in Germany and the UK. But also for the rest of Europe there are signs of recovery for the US hardwoods: US exporters, quoted by WWN, said that ''inquiries and orders increased from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia''. Some market observers believe that the market would grow even faster if the American White Oak would not be so scarce.

Especially the demand in Mexico in 2013 increased sharply: exports grew by 16%. Most notably, shipments of Red Oak and Hickory rose by more than 40%. In the Middle East and Africa, an upward demand could be noticed as well in January, as some markets have re-awakened.

In this context, North American hardwoods might be in danger of not being able to cope with the rising global demand. One exporter explained to WWN: “Buyers are not getting all the lumber they need and are trying to buy from new sources, but the pipeline contains no excess lumber to help them.”

Higher stocks of sawlogs in Sweden

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The total stocks of coniferous sawlogs, pulpwood and wood chips in Sweden is estimated to amount 7.0 million m³ (cubic metres solid volume excluding bark) as at 31 December 2013. The total stocks was 6 percent higher than the third quarter of 2013. Compared with 31 December 2012 the total stocks declined by 6 percent.

Stock volumes of coniferous sawlogs increased by 9 percent to 2.3 million m³ in the last quarter of 2013 compared to third quarter. The increase of stock volumes of coniferous sawlogs has been in wood balance regions 1,3 and 4, while stocks have fallen in wood balance region 2.

The total stocks of pulpwood amounted to 3.7 million m³ (cubic meters excluding bark) as at 31 December 2013. Stocks of pulpwood were 3 percent lower compared with the third quarter of 2013. Stocks of mixed softwood and hardwood decreased by 1 respective 17 percent while stocks of spruce pulpwood increased by 26 percent. The total stocks of pulpwood consisted of 2.2 million m³ of mixed softwood while stocks of spruce pulpwood and hardwood pulpwood accounted for 0.6 respective 0.9 million m³.

The stock volumes of wood chips was 1.0 million m³ at the year end of 2013.

Kronospan to build 32MW biomass plant in UK

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Back in December 2013, Kronospan has submitted an application to build a biomass plant at its chipboard plant site in Chirk (Wales, UK). The application was approved in early February by the committee of Wrexham County Borough Council.

The biomass plant has the purpose to provide heat for the Austrian company chipboard mill, and will produce nearly 32MW of heat, ''with superheated steam then extracted to provide heat to the MDF manufacturing plant to use in board production'', says walesonline.com.

The biomass facility will be fueled with 62,000 tonnes wood residues consisting of recycled wood fibre rejected from the manufacturing process, bark stripped from logs, and dust and fibre not used in the manufacturing process, the Welsh daily added.

A Kronospan spokeperson told to the British media that the new plant will be highly efficient and that it will create new jobs for the local community.

Sharp rise in EU tropical hardwood imports from Malaysia

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EU tropical hardwood imports from Malaysia hit a low of 53,000cu.m/month at the end of 2012 and remained at this level until September 2013. However, EU imports from Malaysia surged during the autumn months to an average of close to 75,000cu.m/month.

The surge is partly due to improvement in the UK economy and some early signs of life in the Netherlands construction market. A range of EU policy measures also contributed to the rapid increase in imports from Malaysia at the end of 2013.

Loss of Malaysia's preferential status under the EU's Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) meant that EU import duties on Malaysian products increased from 3.5% to 7% on 1 January 2014. This encouraged importers to restock in advance of the deadline.

Meanwhile the EU Timber Regulation has given Malaysian plywood shippers a competitive boost relative to Chinese manufacturers that have struggled to meet new demands for legal documentation.

The EU's Construction Products Regulation has also benefitted Malaysian shippers of higher quality plywood products able to meet new technical performance standards.

China the top importer of Brazilian sawnwood

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Brazil's sawnwood exports in 2013 fell 5% in value and 11% in volume year on year. In 2012, the main markets were the Netherlands, China, France, the United States and Vietnam, representing 13.2%, 12.5 %, 12.3 %, 11.4% and 9.2% respectively.

In 2013, the main markets remained the same as in 2012 but China became the top buyer taking 15% of all Brazil's sawnwood exports. Demand in the US accounted for 13%, France 11%, the Netherlands 9% and Vietnam 7.6% In terms of volume, 2013 exports fell to 338,324 cubic metres from the 379,547 cubic metres in 2012.

Exporters in Pará state accounted for 35% of all sawnwood exports followed by Mato Grosso (26%), Rondônia (14%) and Paraná (10%).

US housing starts down 16%

Posted on by GWMI Admin

The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for January 2014.
Building permits
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 937,000. This is 5.4 percent below the revised December rate of 991,000, but is 2.4 percent above the January 2013 estimate of 915,000. Single-family authorizations in January were at a rate of 602,000; this is 1.3 percent  below the revised December figure of 610,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 309,000 in January.
Housing Starts
Privately-owned housing starts in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 880,000. This is 16.0 percent below the revised December estimate of 1,048,000 and is 2.0 percent  below the January 2013 rate of 898,000.
Single-family housing starts in January were at a rate of 573,000; this is 15.9 percent below the revised December figure of 681,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 300,000.
Housing completions
Privately-owned housing completions in January were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 814,000. This is 4.6 percent above the revised December estimate of 778,000 and is 13. 1 percent above the January 2013 rate of 720,000. Single-family housing completions in January were at a rate of 580,000; this is 3.0 percent above the revised December rate of 563,000. The January rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 220,000.

Stora Enso closes sawmill in Austria

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Stora Enso plans to permanent close the Sollenau sawmill in Austria, the company announced in a press release issued today. The planned closure of Sollenau sawmill will affect up to 125 employees and generate annual savings of up to EUR 7 million from the second quarter of 2014 onwards, says the company.

Stora Enso is now initiating negotiations with employee representatives regarding the social plan. Sollenau sawmill’s customers will be served from Stora Enso’s other mills in Austria and the Czech Republic.

It is planned to shut down the saw line permanently at the end of the first quarter of 2014. Stora Enso also has beam and planer production lines at Sollenau that are planned to be permanently shut down in the second quarter of 2015. The sawmill has an annual production capacity of 400 000 m3.

Stora Enso will record a restructuring provision and fixed asset write-down as a non-recurring item related to the planned closure with a negative impact of approximately EUR 10 million on operating profit in its first quarter 2014 results.

Demand for wood pellets still huge in Europe

Posted on by GWMI Admin

EU's renewable energy policies have led to major changes in the European wood industry. The conversion of major power plants from coal to biomass, as well as the intensive promotion of using biomass in the heating sector, have generated a huge wood pellets demand in Europe.

European companies have largely invested in building pellet plants in the United States to satisfy the increasingly domestic demand. Of course, there are some environmental issues: NGO's, industry analysts or US government officials have complained that the US is destroying its forests to ''fuel'' the European Union renewable energy projects.

Nevertheless, the booming demand is still ongoing: from the latest statistics released by Eurostat we can notice that from January to November 2013, EU's pellet imports have surged, in quantity, by 36 percent. In value, the increase is almost the same (37%), reaching EUR 1,52 billion in the first eleven months of 2013. In the same period mentioned, imports of pellets from the US grew by no more than 65%, while those from Canada by 54%.

In terms of market shares, the situation is quite surprising, as imports from North America are now just close to those from the EU (intra-EU trade): of the overall EU wood pellets imports, in January-November 2013, 43,8% came from the Member countries and 42,6% from N. America.

As for major European importers, UK is clearly leading the way, with an overall 31,2 percent from the total EU demand. Moreover, from January to November 2013, the UK imports rose 175% yoy, up to 3,16 million tons of pellets, from which 2,82 million tons came from N. America.

On the other hand, for 2014, the UK imports of wood pellets are projected to drastically decrease. The RWE-Innogy closure of its power plant at Tilbury will probably reduce UK's total demand by more than one third. The Tilbury power plant had an annual pellet consumption of 1,3 million tons. However, this can be compensated by Drax's coal-biomass conversion plans: the company successfully converted one unit of its power plant in April and aims to become a predominantly biomass generator by 2016.

TOP 10 Origins 

Wood pellets imported by EU (in tons )

 Jan.-Nov. 2012 Jan.-Nov. 2013 Change in %
USA 1,531,655 2,528,441 65%
Canada 1,160,608 1,792,814 54%
Latvia 652,391 937,256 44%
Russia 593,547 648,481 9%
Estonia 350,299 530,729 52%
Portugal 344,741 469,747 36%
Germany 470,822 417,659 -11%
Austria 332,905 368,829 11%
Romania 193,483 311,929 61%
Lithuania 152,615 172,073 13%
Others 1,669,474 1,963,499 17%
Total 7,452,540 10,141,457 36%

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