![\"\"](\"https:\/\/timberindustrynews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/sawmill-29.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The value of Finland's forest industry exports will decrease this year, especially due to the difficult market situation for wood products.<\/span><\/p>\n Industry is burdened by the general increase in costs and the decline in construction both in Finland and globally. Adaptation measures can be expected, especially in sawmill and the paper industry.<\/p>\n \"Forestry industry continues its adaptation that started last year to rising production costs, weakening demand and the end of wood imports from Russia,\" says\u00a0Pellervo Institute (PTT) forest economist Matti Valonen<\/p>\n This year, the value of the total export of the Finnish forest industry is expected to decrease by 10 percent from the previous year. It is mainly due to a very strong decrease in the value of the export of wood products, as well as a decrease in the value of the export of cardboard and paper. Next year, the value of exports is expected to remain at this year's figures. During the forecast period, growing pulp production and export will further decrease the processing rate of the Finnish forest industry.<\/p>\n Finnish sawmills may face layoffs in the fall<\/strong><\/p>\n Construction is decreasing worldwide as interest rates rise and consumer purchasing power fades. It reduces the demand for lumber in all key market areas, i.e. Europe, Asia and North Africa. Because of this, Finland's production of sawn timber is decreasing and exports are shrinking. In addition, raw material costs have risen.<\/p>\n \"Due to the sharp drop in demand for sawn timber and the rise in costs, sawmills will have to resort to layoffs in the fall,\" Matti Valonen estimates. The occupancy rates of the new sawmills are also going to be lower than planned due to the market situation.<\/p>\n The demand situations for softwood and hardwood plywood differ significantly from each other. Birch plywood has been in dire shortage in Europe ever since the import of wood from Russia ended. It is used, for example, in LNG ships and in the transport equipment industry. On the other hand, the sales of softwood plywood is weakened by the decrease in construction.<\/p>\n Kemi's new mill increases pulp production and export<\/strong><\/p>\n In the world pulp market, the supply is increasing, but the demand is decreasing, at least temporarily. The supply of short-fiber paper pulp is clearly increasing, for example, when UPM's mill in Uruguay just received a start-up permit. Mets\u00e4 Group's bioproduct factory in Kemi, which produces long-fiber softwood pulp, will start up at the end of the year. On the other hand, production difficulties in Canada reduce the supply of softwood pulp.<\/p>\n However, the demand for end products made from pulp is declining in Europe, and there is overcapacity in tissue paper and packaging materials in China. Especially next year, however, the Kemin mill will increase Finland's pulp production and export. Exports are also increased by the decrease in the utilization rate of pulp further processing factories.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The value of Finland’s forest industry exports will decrease this year, especially due to the difficult market situation for wood products. Industry is burdened by the general increase in costs and the decline in construction both in Finland and globally. … Continue reading