News

Timber and panel products experienced an expected decline in import volumes in December 2021, according to the latest Timber Trade Federation (TTF) statistics.

As the UK entered the festive period, the volume of imported timber and panel products declined by 231,000m3 from November to December 2021. Despite these declines, 2021 was a record year with 11.7 million m3 of timber imported to the UK – the highest yearly total since 2007.

The significant volumes seen in 2021 were largely due to extraordinary market activity in the first three quarters, with Q4 witnessing a more regular winter decline. Softwood imports experienced the most dramatic decline, with volumes dropping from 478,000m3 in November to 301,000m3 in December. Volume reductions were seen across nearly all product categories, from hardwood to OSB.

TTF Chief Executive, David Hopkins, said: “It’s normal for timber and panel product imports to tail off towards the winter months as construction demand slows amid the festive season, and as colder weather deters home and garden renovations.

“As the weather improves and demand for timber climbs, we can expect to see timber imports rebound in our trade statistics, which is a regular pattern for the timber industry. Going forward, we’d expected to see a comparatively stable market in 2022; however, the awful situation in Ukraine has cast some doubt on this prediction. We’ll be looking closely to see how events unfold in the region and what impact this has on our sector.”

Members can read the full report and more on the TTF Statistics Hub: www.ttf.co.uk/statistics.