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– Construction companies engaged in building in Germany rated the business trend in July as positive, as they had in the preceding months. This emerges from the monthly survey conducted among its members by the Zentralverband des Deutschen Baugewerbes (ZDB – Central Association of the German Building Industry), based in Berlin. House-building companies in particular reported a satisfactory business situation. Although the position in commercial building is also described as favourable, it was not rated as positively as that in residential building, while the situation in public building tends to be seen as unfavourable.
Lively demand for building work continues to result in relatively high order receipts in residential and commercial building. Against that backdrop, building activity in residential building has increased further and construction companies assume that production in that sector will continue at a high level in the coming months as well.
Brisk building activity is also expected in commercial building. Production in public-building work stagnated at the level of the previous months as demand here has tended to decline. In accordance with an overall relatively high degree of building activity, employment levels have also risen. There have been no reports at all of a declining trend in this respect.
Order books steadied in East Germany at 3.5 months. They improved to 3 (June 2011: 2.8) months in North Germany, to 2.7 (2.6) months in South Germany and to 2.5 (2.2) months in West Germany. Equipment utilisation rates remained unchanged at 75% (75%) in West Germany, but increased to 73% (65%) in East Germany, to 73% (68%) in North Germany and to 68% (61%) in South Germany. German construction companies are also reckoning with a favourable business and order trend in the coming three months. As a result, possibilities of passing on rising material and wage costs to principals will also improve.
Investment activity continues to be characterised by replacement purchases. However, rationalisation investments are also now more frequent.
ZDB forecasts growth in turnover
of 1.9% to €83.5bn for 2011 as a whole
The ZDB forecasts growth in turnover of 1.9% to €83.5bn for the main building industry this year. Growth of 4.4% to roughly €27.5bn is forecast for the residential building sector. Against the backdrop of a high level of willingness of industry to invest, the association is assuming a rise of 4.4% to €30.8bn in this segment. In contrast, turnover in public building will probably decline by 3% to €25.3bn.
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