TTJ Internation Timber Market News

The UK OSB sector is faring better than its European counterpart

Chinese plywood continues to dominate the UK market

Amid the economic gloom there is some good news for the UK timber industry

2012 has started with a bang for the fencing trade, but new pallet demand remains depressed

2012 has started with a bang for the fencing trade, but new pallet demand remains depressed

Early new year trading has been a pleasant surprise for the chipboard sector but producers warn that prices will rise soon

UK joinery manufacturers will be satisfied if they can at least maintain last year’s sales levels

Changes to hardwood dust exposure levels are proposed

The global downturn has come to the Asian timber sector later than other regions but now that it’s feeling the pinch it’s looking at pushing downstream production

The Eurozone debt crisis is impacting on Asian timber producers

Summary• UK hardwood imports fell 12.2% from January to October.• Traders report lower margins.• White oak from different parts of the US is varying more widely in price.• Some US mills are selling...

Rising costs rather than spectacular demand are likely to push MDF prices higher in the first quarter of 2012

With importers buying hand-to-mouth, sawmills are seeking to reduce inventories bit-by-bit. Markets in both the Middle East and Asia look set to expand next year, and Russian log supplies may be back on stream

A fall-off in consumption and an increase in available supply has led to a weakening of plywood prices

Ireland’s UK market share has slipped slightly but the mills are taking a long-term view

The latest figures from timber’s markets are a mix of the bad and the not so bad

Demand for chipboard is generally flat and UK producers are not banking on any recovery at least until the second half of next year

The summer slowdown seems to have turned into an autumn slowdown but British sawmills are keeping busy and retaining market share

The timber frame sector is suffering like the rest of construction, but is adapting products and strategies to boost performance and competitiveness

Demand for Russian timber is holding up in a tough global market, and what many mills are supplying is top quality