UK timber and panel product imports remained below last year’s levels during the first half of 2026, with weaker softwood and plywood volumes weighing on the market, according to the latest statistics from Timber Development UK (TDUK).

The combined volume of the UK’s main timber and panel product imports was 3.9% lower in H1 2026 than during the same period in 2025. Solid wood imports fell by 4.7%, while panel product imports were 2.5% lower. After a poor start to the year, import volumes improved during March and April, with April volumes sitting 4% higher than a year earlier. This improvement was short-lived, however, with volumes falling 8% year-on-year in May and 3% in June.

Softwood, which accounts for more than 60% of all timber and panel imports, was a major contributor to the overall decline. Import volumes fell 4.9% to 2.898 million m³ during the first six months of the year.

The latest TDUK statistics note this weaker performance of softwood imports amid the backdrop of falling UK housing starts. Following historically low levels in 2024 and 2025, the Construction Products Association is forecasting a further 9% reduction in housing starts during 2026.

Meanwhile, hardwood imports were 1.5% lower than H1 2025, reflecting weaker volumes of temperate and mixed hardwoods. Tropical hardwood moved in the opposite direction, increasing by 3.5%. The largest falls were seen in plywood. Total plywood import volumes were 13.6% lower, with hardwood plywood down 7.4% and softwood plywood falling 28.8%.

Lower hardwood plywood volumes were mainly due to reduced supply from China, while the fall in softwood plywood was driven largely by Brazil. Brazilian volumes fell by around 60,000m³, or 39%, during H1 2026.

The picture across other panel product imports was more positive. Particleboard imports increased by 4.6%, with growth from Germany and Belgium and a strong increase in volumes from Luxembourg. Imports from China also increased during the period.

OSB imports rose by 2.3%, while MDF recorded the largest percentage increase among the main timber and panel product categories, with volumes up 13.1%. Chinese MDF volumes doubled compared with H1 2025.

Engineered wood product imports were 13% lower overall. CLT imports fell 60.7% and glulam volumes were down 17%, while LVL imports increased by 8.5%. I-beam imports remained virtually unchanged from the same period last year.

Prices also changed during H1. While softwood prices increased overall following rises during Q1, they fell back during Q2 while still remaining above year-earlier levels. Plywood prices generally fell, including an 8% reduction in the average price of hardwood plywood from China and an annual average reduction of around 12% for softwood plywood from Brazil. The downward movement in hardwood plywood prices stopped abruptly in May and June, when average prices moved higher as substantially lower volumes of cheaper Chinese material were imported.

Nick Boulton, Head of Technical and Trade Policy at Timber Development UK, said: “The first half of 2026 presents a mixed picture for UK timber imports, but the headline position is that overall volumes remain weak and below the levels seen in previous years.

“Softwood imports were down by almost 5%, while plywood volumes fell more sharply, particularly softwood plywood. At the same time there were areas of growth, with higher volumes of particleboard, OSB and MDF, and LVL imports also moving ahead of last year.

“We have also seen some changes in pricing during the first half of the year. Softwood prices fell back during Q2 following increases earlier in the year, while the reduction in lower-priced Chinese hardwood plywood imports in May and June resulted in average prices moving higher.”

One brighter spot in TDUK’s latest figures is the performance of UK timber and panel exports. Although export volumes remain small compared with imports, they have been on a growth path over recent years.

Softwood exports increased by 24% in the six months to June compared with H1 2025, continuing the growth seen over the past few years. Ireland remains by far the largest destination for UK-produced softwood, accounting for around 93% of exports.

MDF exports increased by 46% compared with H1 2025, reversing the downward trend recorded over the previous four years. Particleboard exports were 1.4% higher. OSB exports were slightly below H1 2025 overall following a poor first quarter, but Q2 volumes were 21% higher than during the same quarter last year.

Boulton added: “Exports remain tiny in comparison with the volumes of timber and panels imported into the UK, but they are a valuable proportion of the output from UK-based producers and have shown good volume growth over recent years. The 24% increase in softwood exports during the first half of 2026 continues that growth path, while the 46% rise in MDF exports is another positive feature within the latest figures.”
  
Source: TDUK