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European wood-based panels production declines 6% in 2023
[Jun 27, 2024]


  
OSB production was the sole growth area in 2023 for European wood-based panels production

European wood-based panels production declined by a ※disappointing§ 6.3% in 2023, according to the latest statistics unveiled by the European Panel Federation (EPF).

However, a positive angle was that wood-based panels exceeded the overall performances of the two main end-user sectors (furniture and construction), suggesting a gain of share in both segments for wood.

The figures are contained in the EPF*s Annual Report 2023, released at the Federation*s AGM on June 19-21 in Riga, Latvia, hosted by Latvian plywood producer Latvijas Finieras and attended by 180 industry professionals.

OSB was the sole panel product area that saw production growth in 2023 in the EU27/UK/EFTA region at +2% to 6.6million m3 (2022: 6.5million m3).

The largest product area 每 particleboard 每 recorded a -5% reverse with a 30.9million m3 production (2022: 32.5million m3). MDF saw a bigger drop at -11% to 11.1 million m3 (2022: 12.5million m3).

Softboard 每 mainly wood fibre insulation boards 每 has been an area of significant growth in recent years, but this product area declined by 6% in 2023 to 4.8million m3 (2022: 5.2million m3).

Plywood production saw a large -15% decline to 2.6million m3 (2022: 3.1 million m3), while the final panel product area 每 hardboard 每 saw a 17% reduction, though this is the smallest product area for the European wood-based panels industry at 400,000m3 (2022: 500,000m3).

Source: EPF

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