Timber industry research & analytics 
Problems of big data analytics in the timber trade industry
March 20, 2023 ` 17:49
As the timber trading industry continues to evolve, the importance of data analytics is becoming increasingly clear. Big data analytics has become a valuable tool for companies to optimise their operations, make informed decisions, and stay competitive in...
Russian Timber Journal 02-2023: interview with Yuri Strezhen, CEO at Praktika Group; state support measures for the Russian timber industry affected by the sanctions pressure; China reduced log imports from all the main suppliers in 2022; Vladimir Putin proposed to grant enterprises a deferment on forest area lease payments for unharvested timber; the Government of the Russian Federation increased the maximum amount of compensation for the expenses of timber enterprises for the transportation of their products; in 2022, Russia reduced the volume of logging by 13.5% to 194.6 million m³, according to Roslesinforg; Russian Railways resumed accepting sawn timber for export shipments through Kazakhstan; International Paper reaches agreement to sell ownership interest in Ilim joint venture; Segezha Group may reorient the Segezha West project to new products; the volume of furniture export from Russia dropped by 39% YoY in 2022, down to 29.5 billion rubles; Luzales and Slotex acquire Russian assets of IKEA
March 7, 2023 ` 15:24
Russian Timber Journal 02-2023: Yuri Strezhen, CEO at Praktika Group: “This is a good time to improve the efficiency of both production and administrative processes of enterprises”; support measures mentioned by the business, relevant agencies, regions, the Government...
Russian Timber Journal 01-2023: interview with Valeriy Sergeevich Sukhanov, D. Eng., Honored Worker of the Russian Forest Industry; in 2022, the sawn timber export from Russia dropped to an 8-year low; North American companies continue to cut sawn timber production; the Government of Russia allowed transportation of roundwood and sawn timber to EAEU countries; in 2022, the Russian export of timber products reduced by two times and railway transportation, by 22%; over 25 billion rubles’ worth of transportation costs of industrial products export will be subsidized in 2023
February 9, 2023 ` 12:57
Russian Timber Journal 01-2023: Valeriy Sergeevich Sukhanov, D. Eng., Honored Worker of the Russian Forest Industry: “The Russian timber industry has degraded”; in 2022, the export of sawn timber from Russia dropped by 22% YoY, down to 23.5 million...
Russian Timber Journal 10-2022: Top 100 Russian timber industry companies in 2021; sawn timber transit through Kazakhstan is banned for Russian exporters; Government of the Russian Federation is planning to set the priorities of sawn timber transportation eastwards by railway; Russia increased its plywood production for the first time in a long while; timber harvest in the Vologda Region dropped by a third in Q2 – Q3 2022; Pestovsky LPK suspends production
December 14, 2022 ` 19:19
Russian Timber Journal 10-2022: WhatWood Analytics Agency prepared the next rating of TOP 100 Russian timber industry companies in 2021; Russian timber enterprises are asking the authorities to lift the restrictions on transiting dried sawn timber through Kazakhstan...
Russian Timber Journal 09-2022: Interview with Vadim Fidarov, Government Relations Manager, Wooden Housing Construction Association; will the Russian market of wooden housing construction be able to compensate for the lost export of sawn timber; EU bans imports of wood pulp and paper from Russia; Egypt imports Russian plywood at record-setting rates; over 9 months of 2022, Russian plywood output reduced by a fourth; Segezha Group reviewed the priority of building new pulp and paper mills in Karelia and the Krasnoyarsk Region; Russian printing houses may shut down due to a shortage of western equipment
November 30, 2022 ` 17:44
Russian Timber Journal 09-2022: Vadim Fidarov, Government Relations Manager, Wooden Housing Construction Association: “Private housing projects are a market of cut-throat competition”; will the Russian market of wooden housing construction be able to compensate for the lost export...
EIA: Russian birch products bypass US sanctions via Vietnam
October 11, 2022 ` 19:09
Russian birch wood is routed through Asia before being shipped to American stores, reports The Washington Post, citing an exclusive report from the Environmental Investigation Agency. The Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a nonprofit watchdog group based in Britain,...
UK detects Russian origin of imported Chinese plywood
September 6, 2022 ` 22:27
Timber Development UK (TDUK), has issued a trade alert urging vigilance to ensure no plywood offered by Asian manufacturers to UK importers contains birch originating in Russia. TDUK note that a worrying development has emerged in recent weeks...
US lumber prices decline in early August
August 18, 2022 ` 13:32
Dropping markedly after two weeks flat, for the week ending August 5, 2022 the price of benchmark softwood lumber item Western Spruce-Pine-Fir 2×4 #2&Btr KD (RL) was $610 mfbm, according to Madison’s Lumber Reporter. This is down by...
US housing starts hit 18-month lows
August 18, 2022 ` 13:21
Construction of new US homes hit 18-month lows in July, according to Commerce Department data on Tuesday that suggested that interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve were boosting mortgage rates that in turn were strangling the property...
Russian Timber Journal 05-2022: interview with Alexander Shangin, CEO, Vologodskiye Lesopromyshlenniki Group; roaring demand in 2021 caused a consumption/supply imbalance in the Russian MDF/HDF market; Rosleskhoz urges for reduced liability of forest users operating LesEGAIS; plywood production continues to decline in Russia; Valmet’s withdrawal from Russia is progressing; Rehau to withdraw business in Russia
June 27, 2022 ` 17:01
Russian Timber Journal 05-2022: Alexander Shangin, CEO, Vologodskiye Lesopromyshlenniki Group: “Substantial assistance to systemically important federal-level enterprises is currently non-existent”; roaring demand in 2021 caused a consumption/supply imbalance in the Russian MDF/HDF market; Rosleskhoz urges for reduced liability of forest users...
Russian Timber Journal 02-2022: interview with Jean-Francois Guilbert, Managing Director of FrenchTimber; survey of WhatWood clients on 2021 performance and prospects for 2022; how anti-Russian sanctions will affect the Russian timber industry; Government of the Russian Federation articulated support measures for the timber industry; ULK Group suspends construction of Pinezhsky LPK; some foreign timber companies suspend their activities in Russia
March 30, 2022 ` 17:55
Russian Timber Journal 02-2022: Jean-Francois Guilbert, Managing Director of FrenchTimber: “Sawn timber prices have been stable for 20 years so they’re catching up now”; WhatWood surveyed its clients — actors in the Russian timber industry market – in order...
Russian Timber Journal 11-2021: Interview with Metin Mete, General Manager at HAYAT Russia; U.S. has decided to almost double the duties on Canadian softwood lumber; U.S. homebuilding surged to an eight-month high in November 2021; Government of the Russian Federation approved the purchase of 75% of RFP Group by a Japanese investor; Russian Railways reports a significant reduction of timber cargo export from Russia in December
January 28, 2022 ` 15:43
Russian Timber Journal 11-2021: Metin Mete, General Manager at HAYAT Russia: “The whole market of paper tissue products is growing by an average of 5% a year”; U.S. has decided to almost double the duties on Canadian softwood lumber...
