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The rapid downturn in Finland's softwood lumber market has created difficult-to-predict settings for the autumn log market. Based on the final product market, there are no grounds for an increase in carrying prices from the peak in spring.<\/span><\/p>\n \"It's pretty quiet in all markets. We have sold lumber for September, but nothing can be said about the fourth quarter yet. Short-termism now characterizes the transaction process\", sums up the outlook of Tommy Lindstr\u00f6m , CEO of Iisvesi sawmill .<\/p>\n According to Lindstr\u00f6m, the sale prices of softwood lumber have fallen by around 30\u201340 percent per year. Despite this, spruce logs have been sawn at Iisvedi this year at the pace of the previous year.<\/p>\n \"Until the end of the year, we will hardly produce at full capacity. The rise in interest rates and the decline in construction are reflected in demand, especially in Scandinavia and Germany.\"<\/p>\n A good price for thinning stamps<\/strong><\/p>\n A total stop to the wood trade can hardly be expected, although, for example, UPM's CEO Jussi Pesonen referred to production restrictions in all product groups when announcing the company's interim report. The stagnant flow of imported wood is still being patched up from home, and Mets\u00e4 Group's pulp mill in Kemi, which will start in the fall, will help maintain demand.<\/p>\n Price expectations for softwood are now more moderate than in the spring.<\/p>\n \"If you look at the weakened results of large forest companies and the development of price statistics in the end product market, the situation is presumably reflected in the softwood market as well,\" thinks Mets\u00e4nhoitoyhdistys Central Finland's field manager Jussi Linnala .<\/p>\n During the summer, the statistical prices of wood have turned down, although the phenomenon is almost every year.<\/p>\n According to Linnala, especially the prices for thinning fiber wood are still at a good level.<\/p>\n \"Regarding thinning, I wouldn't expect price spikes, but the wood should be sold according to forestry needs.\"<\/p>\n The demand for energy wood is increasing<\/strong><\/p>\n Perhaps the most significant change in the wood market is that other than pulp mills now compete equally for softwood. The demand for energy wood is reflected in carrying prices.<\/p>\n \"In terms of energy wood, we are still living through a major breakthrough, which was triggered by the war in Ukraine. Demand for all energy wood chips looks good for the fall,\" says CEO Tomi Vartiam\u00e4ki of Laania Oy. Laania specializes in supplying energy wood to its customers, it does not have its own production facilities.<\/p>\n According to Vartiam\u00e4ki, the prices of energy wood have in some places reached the prices of fiber wood this summer, although the regional differences are large. Most of the company's trees for next winter have been purchased, but wood is being bought steadily.<\/p>\n \"Previous amounts of imported wood will hardly be available in Finland for a long time, so the demand for energy wood will continue to grow. Greater attention to supply security than before has increased the desire of end customers of energy wood to buy some of the energy wood fresh and store it themselves. This has been the most significant change in the energy wood market.\"<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The rapid downturn in Finland’s softwood lumber market has created difficult-to-predict settings for the autumn log market. Based on the final product market, there are no grounds for an increase in carrying prices from the peak in spring. “It’s pretty … Continue reading