TDUK SupplyingTimber Issue 8 DIGITAL - Magazine - Page 20
———— TIMBER IMPORT STATISTICS ————
THE YEAR ENDS WITH GROWTH
A stronger end to 2024 saw total volumes of the main timber and panel
products imports 昀椀nish the year up by 0.5% when compared with 2023
– an increase of 45,000m3, according to the latest TDUK 昀椀gures.
mport volumes have
steadily improved since
Q3 2022, with the 昀椀nal
quarter of 2024 showing
volumes 13.1% higher than
the same period the year
before, although it should be
noted that Q4 2023 was the
weakest fourth quarter by
volume since Q4 2012.
The small overall volume
increase in timber and panel
imports in 2024 was led by
modest growth in softwood
imports, supported by small
increases in the volume of
plywood, OSB and engineered
wood products. The growth of
these four products outweighed
the volume reductions
experienced by hardwood,
particleboard and MDF imports.
Solid wood imports for the year
were 1.2% higher than in 2023,
while imports of panel products
were 1.0% lower.
A feature of 2024 has been
the shifting emphasis in sources
of supply for many timber and
panel products. While overall
volumes from the top 昀椀ve
softwood-supplying countries
reduced slightly, with only
Latvia and the Republic of
Ireland growing by 7%, we saw
good growth elsewhere.
Norway, Lithuania, Austria,
France and Canada all enjoyed
higher volumes, and the
combined growth from all
countries outside of the
top 昀椀ve in 2024 was
an impressive 26%.
I
THE MARKET
The overall value of softwood
imports in 2024 was 1.5%
higher than in 2023. The value
of planed softwood grew by 3%
and the value of sawn goods
remained the same. Whitewood
values were 1.7% lower in 2024
and redwood values rose by
6.2%.
All hardwood imports in 2024
were 2.2%, or around 10,000m3,
lower than in 2023. The main
contributors to this fall were
the USA’s supply of temperate
species, and the Cameroon’s
supply of tropical hardwoods.
These volume reductions
outweighed the higher volumes
recorded from France, Latvia,
Estonia and Romania. It should
be noted that UK tropical
hardwood import volumes
are the smallest of the three
main categories of hardwood
imported by the UK, which
results in relatively large
percentage changes from
relatively small changes in
volume.
The actual volume
imported in
2024 was
very
similar
to
2023 but higher volumes
sourced from the Congo
Republic and Poland of the top
昀椀ve supplying countries was
counter-balanced by volume
reductions from the Cameroon,
the Democratic Republic of
Congo (Zaire) and Malaysia.
Hardwoods fall slightly
Temperate hardwood imports
were down by around 4%
(11,000m3) last year, with the
largest volume losses coming
from the USA, Germany and
Croatia. In contrast, higher
volumes in 2024 were recorded
from Romania and Estonia,
supported by increased
shipments from Lithuania and
Canada.
Volumes of mainly lowerpriced mixed hardwoods were
around 1,000m3 higher in 2024,
with this modest
↑
Image: 2024 has
seen a shifting
emphasis in
sources of supply.
SUPPLYING TIMBER
20
SPRING 2025
