Sales campaigns at beginning of year further increase pressure on gluelam beam prices

Comparatively stable business activity on the central European gluelam beam markets until the middle/end of November 2011 was followed by noticeably slacker demand in December. The situation remained unchanged at the beginning of this year and has recently been intensified by a variety of sales campaigns. In the spot-market offers made by one or two manufacturers to date, the existing price level for last-minute deliveries of standard dimensions before the end of January has been undercut by €10-15/m³ in some cases. Manufacturers are attributing the slower pace of business activity to seasonal factors and buyers’ mostly adequate supplies.