Global timber market review #12-2016

– After the excellent annual result in 2015 with an increase of 10.9% and in total over 100m EPAL pallets, 73.6m of which were newly produced EPAL Euro pallets, the upward trend is continuing in the first quarter of 2016, Fordaq reported.

– Metsä Wood has divested its thermowood business to Lunawood Ltd. The thermowood production facility is located in Kaskinen, Finland. Personnel of the thermowood business will in its entirety transfer to the new owner’s payroll.

– In autumn 2016, plywood production will start at the plant of Kohila Vineer OU in Kohila, Estonia, reports the Baltic Course. Back in 2014, the decision to start producing plywood was made by Latvijas Finieris, parent company of Kohila Vineer.

– Investments in renewable energy are spreading around the world, as a new report shows that there was more money spent on green sources than on coal and gas-fired power plants in 2015, as Fordaq quoted the Renewables 2016 Global Status report. Around 147 GW of renewable power generation was invested in during 2015, which is a significant increase. During 2015, the global investment in new renewable power capacity reached $265 billion, excluding the facilities with hydropower lower than 50 MW. At the same time, there were only $130 billion invested in new coal and natural gas-fired generation capacity. Yet, the low oil prices and policy uncertainty in some markets made the sector face some serious challenges.

More detailed review of global market trends of roundwood, lumber, wood panels and pellets as well as news of the Russian timber industry; exclusive articles and interviews; over 25 pages of price charts are available in our digital Russian Timber Journal.