{"id":88174,"date":"2024-10-20T06:46:34","date_gmt":"2024-10-20T06:46:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tin.happy-projects.ro\/international-softwood-conference-2024-industry-overview-and-market-trends\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T09:02:59","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T09:02:59","slug":"international-softwood-conference-2024-industry-overview-and-market-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.timberindustrynews.com\/ro\/international-softwood-conference-2024-industry-overview-and-market-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"International Softwood Conference 2024: Industry overview and market trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/span>The International Softwood Conference held this week in the beautiful city of Taormina, Italy attracted around 200 participants, primarily from major softwood sawmills in Scandinavia, the Baltics, and the DACH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland). The event also saw the presence of large buyers from Italy and DACH, mostly companies involved in transforming softwood lumber into solid wood panels or beams for construction. Notably, the only non-European participant was a significant Indian importer of softwoods, highlighting the growing global interest in the European softwood industry.<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

Industry background<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Softwood lumber is a major industry in the European Union, valued at over \u20ac30 billion annually, with hardwoods being a much smaller sector\u2014roughly ten times smaller in comparison. Sawmills typically operate by producing on order (70-90% of production, depending on the region) and to stock (10-30%). For\u00a0on-order production<\/strong>, sawmills rely on forecasts from their large regular clients, typically a three-month outlook, which helps plan production.\u00a0On-stock production<\/strong> arises from fluctuations in demand or because logs, being non-standard, often produce side-boards (offcuts), which are sold as lower-quality products for packaging or higher-quality items for moulding. Buyers in this industry, especially large industrial ones, primarily purchase based on their order forecasts but also buy spot from stock when there are short-term fluctuations in their own business.\u00a0Spot prices<\/strong>\u00a0for softwoods are known to fluctuate weekly.<\/p>\n

At the conference, there was no significant mention of sawmills needing to liquidate stock, though some may have been hesitant to admit it. Scandinavian producers, who are more distanced from their customers, typically maintain higher stock levels compared to their DACH counterparts, who focus more on custom grades and dimensions. While most European mills conduct direct business within Europe, many rely on traders for markets outside the continent.<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

Market observations and economic trends<\/strong><\/h4>\n

The softwood industry, like many others, is influenced by broader economic and geopolitical factors:<\/p>\n

-DACH Region Challenges<\/strong>: The cessation of Russian gas supplies has heavily impacted the DACH economies, leading to economic struggles and declining populations, which, in turn, affect demand. Northern and Eastern European economies, tied closely to DACH, are also feeling the strain.<\/p>\n

-Southern Europe<\/strong>: This region has fared better due to lesser dependence on Russian gas and a more robust tourism industry. The building sector in Spain is booming, in contrast to the rest of Europe.<\/p>\n

-Green Deal<\/strong>: While Europe\u2019s commitment to sustainability through initiatives like the Green Deal is essential, it brings increased costs. Combined with productivity challenges, this makes the European softwood sector less competitive globally.<\/p>\n

-2025 Outlook<\/strong>: There are small signs of recovery in 2025, with a projected 4% increase in softwood production in Scandinavia and the DACH region, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OES).<\/p>\n

-Log Production and Prices<\/strong>: Log production in Europe is declining, and structural issues are driving log prices up, even as sawn timber prices are falling. This dynamic creates profitability challenges for sawmills.<\/p>\n

-Sustainability and Wood in Construction<\/strong>: The expectation is that wood will play an increasing role in construction in Europe due to its sustainability benefits. However, with no forecasted increase in log availability, the industry will need to find ways to use its resources more efficiently.<\/p>\n

-Spruce Forest Decline<\/strong>: Europe's spruce forests have been severely impacted by beetle infestations, with projections indicating that production will be 50% lower by 2030. Current prices for spruce logs are averaging \u20ac100 per cubic meter across Europe.<\/p>\n

<\/h4>\n

Global Market Trends<\/strong><\/h4>\n

-China<\/strong>: The Chinese economy has been struggling, with a population decline and a dramatic reduction in housing starts (down 70% since 2019). Although softwood lumber consumption has plunged by a third over the last three years, the decline has slowed somewhat in recent times. Russia has become China\u2019s dominant supplier of softwood lumber, and many expect Chinese imports to rise despite ongoing price declines.<\/p>\n

-Japan<\/strong>: The Japanese market is shrinking due to population decline, with the government heavily subsidizing domestic wood production, causing a drop in import volumes.<\/p>\n

-North America<\/strong>: In contrast to Europe, the North American economy is performing well, driven by strong immigration and a younger demographic. Lumber demand is projected to grow, especially as housing needs increase. However, Canadian softwood producers expect a doubling of import duties in the U.S. next year, leading them to seek alternative markets. Production in North America is shifting towards the Southeastern U.S., where Yellow Pine is becoming more prominent as Southern Yellow Pine (SYP) replaces SPF (spruce-pine-fir) due to greater availability in the region.<\/p>\n

-MENA Region<\/strong>: The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is a vital market for European softwood exports and has performed relatively well compared to Europe. Saudi Arabia, in particular, is attracting significant interest from exporters.<\/p>\n

-New Zealand<\/strong>: A major exporter of logs, New Zealand\u2019s harvest is expected to drop by 30% by 2030, potentially creating supply challenges.<\/p>\n

-India<\/strong>: With an economy growing at +7.5%, India is the only major global economy currently booming. Though still a relatively small importer of lumber (approximately 1.2 million cubic meters), India\u2019s demand is expected to grow significantly, presenting ample opportunities for European and American exporters.<\/p>\n

The International Softwood Conference painted a picture of an industry adapting to both global and regional challenges, but with growth potential driven by sustainability, increasing demand in emerging markets like India, and signs of recovery in European construction.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a> \"\"<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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