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– In view of unabated brisk demand for logs, log prices in Austria are largely stable in August at the previous month’s level. For one or two assortments the price range has moved upwards slightly. The presidents of Austria’s chambers of agriculture (LWK) in Vienna believe demand for softwood logs is still satisfactory. For this reason the benchmark grade of B-grade L 2b/3a spruce is fetching up to €97/m³. Discounts for C-grade and fir have been reduced.
The cuts or halts being resorted to in the Austrian sawmilling industry will probably have scarcely any negative effects on roundwood deliveries. The majority of sawmills that have halted or cut back production are continuing their intake of logs during the company holidays in an effort to build up their stocks. The purpose of this is to enable the normal rate of cutting to be resumed after the summer holidays. The extent to which lumber production can be raised above the usual level for the time of year is unclear at the moment. As the supply of larger roundwood dimensions has fallen in recent weeks to the benefit of the narrower diameters, the labour involved in sorting and cutting could increase in the near future.
Sawmills had already throttled back their cutting operations in July due to slackening demand on the relevant softwood lumber markets. Decreasing demand coincided with a comparatively high supply of lumber. In Italy, demand was consistent overall until the beginning of the holiday season in August but not all suppliers have been able to profit to the same extent from the increases in exports to Italy. It remains to be seen if and to what extent the budget cutbacks announced by the Italian government will affect timber consumption in the country. In Germany, comparatively high stocks of lumber have prompted restraint from buyers. Insofar as contracts have been fixed, it has been done at short notice and as needs dictate. Whereas the sales opportunities in the UK had been limited in the last few months due to an unfavourable exchange rate, the situation there has improved recently due to an increase in the value of the pound against the euro.
Against the background of the reduced supply, manufacturers are expecting that they will be able to implement price increases for certain grades in the autumn.
Although deliveries of beetle-damaged wood are increasing as usual at the moment for seasonal reasons, the volumes involved are lower than had been anticipated due to the dry spring. The LWK is urgently recommending, however, that the stands be checked for fresh infestation. Individual trees as well as nests of beetles should be cleared generously and the logs removed from forests as soon as possible.
In the case of pulpwood for mechanical pulping, the paper and pulp industry’s mills are still receptive and supplies are good. The requirement of pulpwood remains high in all wood species. Prices for industrial logs are stable. The build-up of stocks of fuelwood is well underway for the coming season, though deliveries are delayed in some cases.
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