During the second quarter of 2026, business activity on the German softwood log markets slowed down further overall. Sawmill companies reported that prices for spruce sawlogs were corrected significantly downward in Q2 2026. Most sawmills were already better supplied with timber at the transition to the second quarter in May, and log deliveries from forest owners were no longer being collected as promptly as in previous months, leading to growing forest stock inventories in many regions.<\/p>\n
On average, prices for spruce sawlogs fell to between \u20ac123 and \u20ac125 per cubic metre (spruce, diameter class 2a, BC quality) \u2014 a decline of around \u20ac7 to \u20ac10 from the all-time high of over \u20ac130 per cubic metre recorded in March 2026.<\/p>\n
The reversal follows a sharp run-up at the start of the year. At the beginning of 2026, demand for softwood sawlogs was still strong, with sawmills pushing net prices for the benchmark spruce B 2b+ to between \u20ac129 and \u20ac132 per cubic metre on average \u2014 an increase of \u20ac25 to \u20ac30 per cubic metre compared with the previous year. That dynamic has since reversed decisively.<\/p>\n
The combination of high supply and well-stocked sawmills has left current demand for softwood sawlogs very low. At the same time, log export volumes have stalled due to geopolitical disruptions, with major buyers shifting trade flows and purchasing less softwood lumber, while rising transport and logistics costs are adding further pressure on sawmill purchasing prices.<\/p>\n
Germany's sawmill and wood industry remains under severe pressure from persistently weak construction activity at home and abroad, high raw material costs, and global trade restrictions. After production already fell to its lowest level in ten years in 2025, further output cuts of between 9 and 10 percent are now considered unavoidable \u2014 with serious consequences for employment, regional value creation, and Germany as an industrial location.<\/p>\n
The Deutsche S\u00e4ge- und Holzindustrie Bundesverband (DeSH) is calling for an emergency summit to develop a future strategy for wood processing in Germany together with policymakers and industry.<\/p>\n
The economic situation for domestic sawmills has deteriorated sharply since the start of the year. In addition to persistently weak demand from the construction sector, the hoped-for spring recovery has also failed to materialise in 2026. At the same time, geopolitical tensions and increasing trade barriers are restricting access to international markets.<\/p>\n
While the European sawmill industry consolidates through acquisitions, German companies face growing pressure from difficult structural conditions, including the highest raw material and energy prices in Europe, which are eroding their international competitiveness.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99096,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5204],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-99095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n