Russian timber industry news #3-2015

– Sakhles company has put into operation a Japanese automatic sawing line, which will increase the processing of sawlogs to 36 thousand m3.

– Arkhangelsk anti-monopoly body approved the purchase of 70.71% stake in Arkhangelsk LDK-3 by Lesozavod 25.

– Perm pulp and paper company shipped its first batch of PRIME-fluting corrugating paper to the Czech Republic.

– Russian-Chinese production of unbleached pulp may appear in Verhneketsky district of the Tomsk region.

– Sibirskie Toplivnye Granuly will install Hekotek pellet lines at LDK-Igirma and Trans-Siberian forest company mills (Eastern Siberia).

– To support publishers and printers that warned about possible collapse of the industry, the Ministry of Industry and Trade is considering export duties on paper and liberalization of publishing supplies imports.

– The share of forest industry in the Russian economy may be doubled in the near perspective, which would reduce country’s dependence on oil markets, says the head of the Federal Forestry Agency Ivan Valentik.

– Korean researchers from the University of Kookmin proposed the Sakhalin authorities to create a special economic zone in Aleksandrovsk-Sakhalinsky district in the north of the island.

– Monthly production of MDF at the Kastamonu mill in Elabuga reaches 80-85% of the design capacity.

– Kronospan plans to launch chipboard factory near Ufa in May 2015, according to “Kommersant-Ufa”.

– Knauf CIS and Sveza Group signed a Memorandum of understanding on establishing of a joint venture. It will promote technologies of economy-class prefabricated modular houses in Russia.

– In 2015, Lesplitinvest company will complete the implementation of two investment projects: laminated MDF and lumber production lines.

– The Ministry of economic development of the Russian Federation published the list of 199 strategic organizations which can receive state support. The list includes seven companies from the forestry sector.

– In Primorsky region, Far East, all lime species were banned for harvesting.

– The OSB mill project of Swiss Krono in the Perm region is delayed and could be frozen.

– Egger has launched a new impregnation line at the company’s chipboard mill in Gagarin.

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