Italian softwood lumber imports stable at last year’s level
From January to May, Italy imported around 1.8 million m³ of softwood lumber and planed timber, i.e. just 1.5% fewer than in the same period of 2023.
 
Increase in laminated timber imports
According to the European statistical office Eurostat, Italy imported 262,000 m³ of glue-laminated and cross-laminated timber in the period January to May, recording a year-on-year increase of 5%.

Germany: Downturn in chipboard production slows down
German particleboard manufacturers produced around 1.9 million m³ in the first three months of 2024, 1% less than in the same period of the previous year. This means that production continues to trend downwards. The downward trend of the previous years 2022 and 2023 appears to be to be slowing.

Germany: Hardwood lumber production continues to shrink
In the first three months of 2024, around 200,000 m3 of sawn hardwood was produced, 18% less than in the same period of the previous year. The industry is thus continuing the downward trend that already characterised 2019 and 2020 and that will continue in 2021.

Swedish log inventories at last year’s low level
The Swedish forestry authorities reported log inventories of 7.9 million m3 in Sweden as of the end of June. This is approximately the same low level which was already recorded last summer.

EU OSB deliveries to the USA more than tripled
According to current data from US foreign trade statistics, US OSB imports reached almost 3.2 million m3 this year until the end of June.