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– Finnish softwood lumber output increased by 14% in the second quarter 2011 to around 3m m³ (Apr.-June 2010: 2.6m m³). This figure for the period of April to June represents the highest quarterly value achieved since the reduction in output that began at the end of 2007. According to the Finnish Forest Industries Federation (FFIF) of Helsinki, the slight upward trend already registered in the first quarter of 2011 has thus gathered considerable pace. Minor growth of 1% to 2.4m m³ was achieved in the first three months.
Cumulated over the first six months, the total output thus amounted to 5.4m m³ (Jan.-June 2010: 5m m³) of softwood lumber, equating to an increase of 8% against the reference volume of the year before. The growth was even higher in comparison to the low of around 4m m³ in the first half-year 2009. This year’s output is therefore more or less on par again with the production level in the first half-year 2008, which had already been characterised by reductions, though the figure still remains almost 20% behind the high figure of 6.7m m³ for the first six months of 2007.
At the same time, the Finnish sawmilling industry has been benefiting from growing demand from Europe and especially Scandinavian countries this year. The greater construction activity in the industrial building sector generated heavy demand on the domestic market in the first half of the year. According to information from the FFIF, there has not yet been any recovery in the USA, Japan, and the North African countries, the main sales markets for Finnish companies. The US building industry is still not back on its feet yet and, considering the USA’s continuing poor macroeconomic situation, there are not yet any signs of improvement. In North Africa it is mainly the political instability in many countries that has led to a general decline in business. In Japan, the consequences of the earthquake in March have still not been fully overcome yet. Although softwood lumber is required from reconstruction here, the FFIF believes so far scarcely any of it is high-quality Scandinavian material.
31.08.2011
Roundwood/Sawnwood
- Prices for eastern Siberian larch lumber remain largely stable in August despite holiday season
- 10 % reduction registered in Russian lumber exports
- Felling in Russia in July 2011 lower than in June
- Northwest Russian spruce lumber continues to lose market shares within Central Europe
- Latvian roundwood exports increased by as much as 26.1%
- Felling practically no longer hampered by forest fires
- Finland: Growth recorded in softwood lumber output until June
- United Business Media takes over Ecobuild
- Finland: Log deliveries still below last year‘s level
- Softwood lumber shipments down in North America in the second quarter
- Further growth in softwood lumber output until March
- Brisk demand for logs keeping price situation largely stable in Austria
- Hardwood lumber markets in UNECE revived slightly in 2010
- Lumber exports recovered in second quarter 2011
- Structural panels production declined again in Q2
Wood products
Wood-based panels
- Latvian plywood exports still higher than this time in 2010
- Demand for radiata pine plywood bounces back slightly after summer holidays end
- FFIF: Finnish plywood output grew again
- North American OSB manufacturers enjoy significant increase in exports
- North American composite panels producers‘ capacity utilisation rates stay low
- Slowdown in deliveries continued in second quarter
- GreCon wood-based panels seminar in Hanover
- Demand for MDF/HDF has undergone slight post-holiday revival since mid-August
- IHD Dresden holding ninth wood-based panels colloquium
- Summer reductions push OSB prices below last year‘s level again
- Slump in German particleboard exports persists
Furniture
- Demand for bathroom furniture remained brisk in July/August
- Fittings manufacturers anticipate possible renewed downturn in export markets
- VdDK members‘ order value up 5% in first half-year 2011
- Kitchen furniture industry sales 6% up on last year until June
Building products
Construction
- Housing construction again shows satisfactory trend
- Japan: Residential building increases by 5.8 % in June
Trade
Companies
- Lammhults: Office furniture segment improves turnover
- Slovenian furniture producer Javor Pohištvo bankrupt
- Javor Group: Another subsidiary files for bankruptcy
- Alno granted initial loan of €3m by Müller‘s Comco
- Forte enjoys strong growth in Q1 revenues and profits
- Eggerath: Business operations continue with work force of 60
- Kinnarps Deutschland bundles production in Worms
- Looser: Results forecast for 2011 corrected downwards
- Klostermann Küchen still up and running for time being
- Lowe’s: Turnover and result stabilising again
- Home Depot recovers again in the second quarter
- BlueLinx: Downward trend continues in Q2
- Temple-Inland: Timber business continues to operate at a loss
- IP: Take-over offer now extended until September
- Metsäliitto: Paper activities impose a strain on result
- Start-up in Braviken imposes strain on Holmen result
- Kurekss new sawing line starts up in fourth quarter
- Södra: Fire causes stop in production at Mönsterås
- Lafarge divests itself of gypsum operations in Asia
- Delignit: Results back in the black in first half of 2011
- Rougier books slowdown in revenue growth
- Pfleiderer Grajewo improves result again
- Gascogne records increased turnover in the first half year
- Uzin Utz shows further growth in turnover and result
- Roseburg to close two plants in South Carolina
- Resopal improves turnover by 17% in first six months
- Raute back in the black in the second quarter