Special Reports

Showing [1-10] of 189 results
  • May 23, 2012 08:23

    The Global Wood Market in Q1

    Prices for conifer sawlogs fell in virtually all 21 regions worldwide covered by the Wood Resource Quarterly (WRQ). Lower demand for lumber in many markets in Europe and reduced log imports to China were two major factors that pushed log prices downward. Still the Middle East/North African region has had a growing appetite for lumber for its construction sector. Lumber prices in the US and Canada have gone up most of this year, reaching... [more...]

  • May 14, 2012 16:09

    Finland: Difficult market conditions

    The finnish forest industry's production environment was difficult in the first quarter and demand for several product categories was sluggish in the main market areas. Timber sales were lively. January-March sawn timber production came to 2.3 million cubic meters, down 2% from 2011. Plywood production was down 7% from the previous year and totaled 250,000 cubic meters. Sawn timber exports increased to a million cubic meters in January-March, up... [more...]

  • April 27, 2012 09:46

    Parquet market outlook with important variations at country level

    Though it is yet too early to give a reliable forecast for the current year, the information provided by the individual country representatives indicates that 2012 will be a challenging year for the European parquet producers with important variations at country level – a situation already visible... [more...]

  • April 25, 2012 15:28

    China to Surpass Japan as Largest Hardwood Chip Importer

    Chinese hardwood chip imports will double from 6.3 million Bone Dry Metric Tons (BDMT) in 2011, to 12.7 million BDMT in 2016. Japan's imports of hardwood chips will drop from 9.9 million BDMT to 8.6 million BDMT in the same period, the lowest volume of imports since 1993. This is the forecast... [more...]

  • April 19, 2012 07:49

    De Jaeger: Export Taxes on Logs are just one Alternative

    In an exclusive interview Filip De Jaeger comments on an initiative of the French woodworking federation FNB regarding the establishment of a European customs policy aimed at promoting local processing of resources. The secretary general of the European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry EOS and of CEI-Bois, the European Confederation of woodworking industries, looks upon export taxes as a last resort but favors the education of all market partners being involved in the roundwood business. [more...]

  • April 16, 2012 12:57

    Reduces production in the Finnish forest sector expected

    Pellervo Economic Research PTT forecasts that recession in Europe will have clear impacts on the Finnish forest sector this year. Production in the sawmilling industry will slightly decrease. However, exports of softwood lumber outside the Euro zone will increase. A reduced demand for wood will also slow down commercial fellings in Finland this year. PTT estimates the price of roundwood to go down as... [more...]

  • April 12, 2012 22:20

    Poland: only short-term price decreases for logs

    Like in other European countries the Polish prices for logs have collapsed after the Kyrill storm, not so powerfully as in Germany however. Because of so much storm timber the prices for logs in decreased strongly in 2008. In the spring of 2009 the prices of spruce have reached an all-time low of... [more...]

  • April 10, 2012 09:14

    Decreasing beech exports to China due to rising shipping costs

    Although Heiko Vogler can already visualize his Easter vacation, he doesn't put aside the thoughts about his work. The wood trader from Schwärzelbach commercializes oak and beech to China and he is experiencing at present an extreme situation. He had to pay 900 up to 950 euros for a 40' container from Bayern at the beginning of the beech season. Now the same container costs him between 1300 and 1400 euros. ''The shipping companies have gone out of their mind'', said Volger angrily. Actually, shipping lines and transportation companies are ingenious when it comes to the extra fees they charge for the freight. The clients must bare the fact [more...]

  • April 04, 2012 10:37

    France: Concentration within the barrel-making market

    The barrel manufacturer François Frères (turnover of 109.5 mil. euros, 720 employees), which originates from Burgundy, has bought Radoux, a company with a turnover of 29 mil.euros located in Cognac, from the OENEO Group. The acquisition price is approximately seven times the EBITDA value of Radoux. François Frères is consolidating [more...]

  • March 30, 2012 08:52

    German furniture industry continues to expand

    The German furniture industry carried forward the successful export from 2011 and gained further foreign market shares. According to VHK, this is due to crowding out international competitors. The market itself is rated as rather unstable. In Germany the furniture market continues to grow. In 2011 each person bought furniture for 373 EUR in average, which represents an increase of 2%. [more...]