Global timber market review #8-2015

– The price of wood pellets in Germany has fallen sharply in April compared to the previous month.

– At the end of the heating season, the price of ENplusA1 wood pellets in Austria has also declined considerably after one year of relative stability.

– Valmet and Metsä Fibre have signed the agreement for the supply of key technology to Metsä Fibre`s new Äänekoski bioproduct mill in Finland, as the Finnish company has finally decided to invest into this major project. The construction will start immediately, and the production at the new mill is scheduled to begin during the third quarter of 2017.

– UPM announced the expansion of its Otepää plywood mill in Estonia. The expansion will almost double the mill’s production.

– The Government of British Columbia announced that it is investing CA$6.2 million to support the forest sector in expanding global markets for B.C. wood products. The funding is being made available to nine industry trade associations.

– Klausner’s new Southern Pine dimension lumber mill in Live Oak, Florida began producing 2×4 in April, Fordaq reported quoting Random Lengths.

– A warm autumn and mild winter reduced the need for heating last year, which resulted in lower use of wood chips in Finland compared to year 2013, as reported by Luke, Natural Resources Institute of Finland. The Finnish forest sector consumed 63.9 million m3 of wood in 2014.

– Japan Laminated Lumber Manufacturers Association disclosed domestic production of laminated lumber in 2014. According to ITTO, the full-year total is 1,56 million m3, 5.6% less than in 2013.

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.