New trees import figures masking the 3rd quarter of 2025 disclose an ongoing blended image for the sphere.
12 months-to-date volumes are nonetheless trailing 2024 however appearing some indicators of growth because the 12 months progresses.
Newest statistics from Trees Construction UK display that general imports within the first 9 months of 2025 reached 7.01m cubic metres – some 2.1% underneath the 7.15m cu.m recorded in the similar duration of 2024. This hole has narrowed for the reason that half-year level, alternatively, when volumes have been down by means of 2.9%.
This slight uplift has been pushed by means of a wish to refill shares after the flurry of development task noticed in Q2, mentioned TDUK. This ended in a extra sure 3rd quarter for imports, which noticed upper volumes than in Q3 2024 around the softwood, hardwood, plywood, OSB and engineered wooden product sectors. General imports for Q3 have been most effective 0.2% not up to Q3 2024, with a marked drop in MDF imports fighting blended volumes from transferring into year-on-year enlargement.
For the year-to-date, forged wooden imports from January to September 2025 have been 2.5% not up to in the similar period of time in 2024, with panel merchandise down by means of 1.3%. Weaker call for for softwood and a vital 25% fall in imported MDF stay the primary elements conserving again total enlargement. In contrast, hardwood, particleboard and OSB imports have all edged forward of 2024 ranges, with hardwood plywood, softwood plywood and engineered wooden merchandise additionally turning in constant good points all over 2025.
The availability steadiness inside of softwood imports has additionally shifted. In spite of a more potent September from Sweden, decreased volumes from the rustic accounted for greater than all the year-to-date deficit of 118,000 cubic metres. Germany and the Republic of Eire additionally recorded declines of 9% and 14% respectively, reducing their stocks of provide. Those discounts have been partially offset by means of larger volumes from Latvia and Finland, which rose by means of greater than 60,000 and 30,000 cubic metres respectively.
Softwood import values rose sharply within the 9 months to September, expanding by means of 9% when put next with 2024. Planed softwood values climbed 8%, and sawn items rose 11%. Those will increase have been pushed by means of a 12% upward push within the reasonable worth of all softwood imports, regardless of total softwood volumes falling by means of nearly 3%. Pricing knowledge signifies that softwood costs have risen during the last one year, diverging from the downward traits noticed in sawn hardwood and plywood. Contemporary months, alternatively, display indicators of softwood costs starting to melt once more.
Hardwood imports remained in large part unchanged year-on-year, rising by means of simply 0.2% in general quantity. America, Latvia and France all larger their provides by means of 5%, 25% and four% respectively, whilst Cameroon noticed a 19% upward push. Tropical hardwood volumes fell by means of 3%, regardless of vital will increase from Cameroon and Malaysia, because of discounts from different key supplying nations. Temperate hardwood imports dropped by means of round 6%, with declines from Romania, america and Estonia offset most effective by means of France, which larger volumes by means of round 2,000 cubic metres.
The panel merchandise sector confirmed a various efficiency. Hardwood plywood imports rose by means of roughly 55,000 cubic metres, pushed basically by means of larger provide from China and Malaysia, which in combination equipped 80% of the whole. TDUK mentioned that it was once tough to resolve if this marked build up is because of larger intake or Chinese language hardwood plywood being diverted because of EU anti-dumping measures. Particleboard volumes larger by means of simply over 1%, even though adjustments in provide patterns have been notable, with losses from Portugal and Belgium balanced by means of good points from China and Luxembourg.
In engineered merchandise, Finland endured to dominate the United Kingdom Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) marketplace, supplying 83% of quantity. Despite the fact that this proportion is moderately not up to in 2024, Finnish volumes nonetheless grew by means of round 14%.
Consistent with the newest NSD Softwood Import Forecast, import volumes will fall by means of round 3% in 2025 to round 5.62m cubic metres, ahead of rising by means of 3.7% in 2026 to round 5.83m cubic metres.
TDUK head of technical and industry, Nick Boulton, mentioned: “The newest trees import figures for Q1-3 of 2025 do display a slight growth, albeit from an overly low base, with a number of product classes appearing indicators of uplift within the 3rd quarter particularly. That is perhaps restocking after the raised development task we noticed at mid-year. That mentioned, the marketplace stays tough and total volumes stay in the back of closing 12 months’s ranges. The slight growth is welcome, but it surely underlines simply how delicate call for is still around the sector. We can wish to see sustained balance in 2026 ahead of self assurance can totally go back to the marketplace.”
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