Exports of German planed products to non-European countries in the first quarter of 2020 were 42 % higher than in the same quarter of preceding year at 557,244 m³, which increased their share of the total exports by eleven per cents to 76 %. Recent data from the German federal statistics office (Destatis) demonstrate that sales to the US customers were 48 % up at 369,296 m³.
According to a decision made on 22 May, the NAFTA arbitration panel now shares the view of the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) at the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) that Canadian exports of lumber to the USA harm the sawmilling industry there and that the related grounds and evidence presented by the USITC are conclusive.
Producers of softwood and planed lumber in Sweden were able to rise exports in all relevant sales regions during the first quarter of 2020.
In the fourth quarter of 2019 Spain imported a volume of 10,451m³ oak lumber; this shows a 21% decline comparing with the same quarter of 2018.
The 2020 Raw-Material Summit/Sawmill Convention has been rescheduled again and is now appointed to 16-18 November. The place has also been moved from Würzburg to Berlin.
In Finland, the volumes of roundwood bought from the timber industry in the first quarter were quite low in comparison with the previous year.
From calendar week 15 and onwards, a sufficient number of German sawmill companies are planning to send employees on short-time working.
During the fourth quarter of 2019, approximately 2.59 million m³ of sawn softwood was produced in Finland, which is 13,9% less than in the same quarter of the previous year.
In the fourth quarter softwood lumber exports from Latvia to Great Britain dropped by 26% comparing to the same quarter of 2018 to 201,200m³.
US furniture manufacturers in the residential sector in June were again unable to slow down the negative development in turnover and incoming orders, which has started in February.