News that home-grown softwood production broke the three million m³ barrier for the first time last year provides evidence that the domestic processing industry can play a larger role in future UK timber supply, according to the UK Forest Products Association (UKFPA).
The Timber Trade Federation’s (TTF) Annual Statistical Review found the volume of softwood produced in the UK rose by 8.4%, or 240,000m³, in 2007, accounting for 26% of all softwood consumed in the country.
UKFPA executive director David Sulman said 2007 had been an “absolutely bumper year” for the UK trade, owing to a unique set of circumstances.
But, he added, these had not been replicated in 2008, leading to a depressed market off the back of the ongoing construction downturn and volatility in the financial markets.
However, Mr Sulman said the 2007 figures were a ray of light for the future of the industry and showed it would be able to take advantage once there was a market recovery.
“The [timber] capacity’s there so the UK is well placed to cope when the market picks up,” he said.
Other statistics from the TTF’s Annual Statistical Review show the total volume of timber and panels traded in the UK rose by 1.2 million m3 to 18.2 million m³, with imports up 0.9 million m³ to 12.6 million m³ and total UK production across all wood products reaching 6.7 million m³.
