Russian timber industry news #7-2015

– ULK Group (Ustyansky sawmill) has announced a new investment project in the Arkhangelsk region. The company plans to build an enterprise for processing thin logs in Ustyansky district. According to Group CEO Vladimir Butorin, the enterprise will be equipped with two lines processing logs with diameter from 6.5 to 16 cm. “This plant will be the largest in Russia and among the twenty largest sawmills in the world”, said Vladimir Butorin. The holding company also plans a number of other projects.

– Director of sales and marketing at Kastamonu Russia Cenk Buyuktosun believes that for the majority of further processing wood products, the import substitution level of 95% is highly possible. Just recently, the Russian laminate flooring market was divided almost equally between the Russian, Chinese and European manufacturers, the expert notes. However, the economic situation in Russia has changed, which led to the decline in the share of Chinese and European companies from 65 to 25%. The production capacities of the flooring plants are able to cover 100% of the needs of the domestic market, as well as the CIS market.

– At the end of March 2015, PDK Apsheronsk (Krasnodar region) completed the installation of a lamination line at its MDF plant. Presently, the company goes through commissioning and production tests.

– Astrakhan packaging factory LLC has been sold by the OBF (“United paper mills”) holding.

– Plitspichprom holding started installation of new sawmill equipment. Launch of the mill is scheduled for July 2015. The project aims to increase the profitability of the company. The general equipment supplier for this project was EWD.

– Ros’ LLC has completed the construction of two new plywood lines in Urensky and Ardatovsky districts of the Nizhny Novgorod region with a total production volume of 20,000 m3.

– In Q1 2015, Russian Timber Group increased exports to China almost twofold to 50,000 m3.

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.