Supplying Timber Issue 9 0 - Autumn 2025 - Flipbook - Page 21
———— TIMBER IMPORT STATISTICS ————
rising demand in sustainable
building applications. Although
EWP products are the smallest
timber group analysed, they
saw 14% growth in H1 2024,
with each type of EWP growing
strongly.
Softwood Plywood also
enjoyed a 12.6% growth
compared with 2024, with
Brazil consolidating its position
as the number one supplying
country – accounting for almost
three-quarters of all softwood
plywood imported by the UK.
Imports from China fell by a
昀椀fth, meanwhile, with Finnish
imports also falling by a third.
Strong performances from
engineered wood and panel
products
While many traditional timber
categories softened, engineered
wood products have emerged
as a standout performer.
Laminated veneer lumber (LVL)
imports rose by nearly 10%
year-on-year, driven by stronger
shipments from Finland and
Poland, which together supplied
over 90% of UK demand.
Cross-laminated timber
(CLT) imports saw the largest
percentage gain, climbing
20%, largely due to increased
volumes from the Czech
Republic, which o昀昀ered
competitive pricing alongside
growth in Austrian supply.
Glulam imports also climbed
by 12%, supported by Germany,
Austria, and Estonia, which
collectively supply over 70% of
UK demand. Prices for glulam
trended down by around 11%
year-on-year, adding to its
attractiveness for construction
projects. I-beams, the largest
EWP category by volume,
posted an 18% rise in imports,
with Poland and Sweden
dominating the market and
maintaining stable pricing.
Plywood imports also
strengthened, with hardwood
plywood shipments growing
11% and softwood plywood up
12.6% year-on-year. The sharp
growth in hardwood plywood
was mainly driven by China,
which supplied an additional
58,000m³ in H1 2025, and
Malaysia, up 12,500m³. In
contrast, Indonesia and Latvia
saw declines, with reductions
also recorded from Finland,
Uruguay, and Spain
Hardwood shifts reveal
mixed supply trends
Hardwood imports overall
dipped by just under 2% in H1
2025, but the picture across
supplying countries was highly
SUPPLYING TIMBER
21
uneven. The United States,
France, and Latvia collectively
increased their shipments
by more than 15,000m³, a
combined rise of 18%. Latvia’s
supply of lower-cost temperate
hardwoods surged by 78%, and
U.S. shipments grew by 14%.
However, smaller suppliers
experienced steep losses:
Estonia’s shipments fell 14%,
Romania’s dropped 19%, and
imports from the Republic
of Congo were down 10%.
Tropical hardwood imports
followed a similar pattern, with
Cameroon (+6%) and Malaysia
(+28%) o昀昀setting declines
from the Republic of Congo,
the Democratic Republic of
Congo, and several West African
nations.
Mixed hardwood volumes, in
contrast, rose sharply by 15%,
helping to balance declines
in temperate and tropical
species. The combination of
higher U.S. and Latvian supply,
particularly of poplar, alder,
and aspen, contributed to this
shift, while Sweden and Estonia
both recorded double-digit
reductions.
MDF struggles while
particleboard edges upward
MDF volumes have fallen
sharply, dropping 29% in the
昀椀rst half of 2025. This marks
a signi昀椀cant reversal after
modest declines in 2024 and
growth in 2023, with imports
sliding to just 273,000m³ for the
period. The category’s value
also fell steeply, down 31%,
re昀氀ecting both lower volumes
and a decline in average prices.
Oriented strand board
AUTUMN 2025
THE MARKET
GINEERED WOOD SEES GROWTH
