Eight of the 12 categories sold more by value in Q3 2025 compared to the same quarter a year before, with renewables and water saving (+6%) the best performing category. Of the two biggest categories, timber and joinery products (+2.1%) outperformed total builders’ merchants, while heavy building materials (-1.7%) was behind. Decorating (-3.3%) was weakest.
Quarter-on-quarter builders’ merchants’ value sales for Q3 2025 were down -1.2% compared to the previous three-months (April to June 2025). Volume sales fell -1%, and prices eased -0.2%. By value, nine of the 12 categories sold more with plumbing, heating and electrical (+3.2%) ahead of the rest. Heavy building materials (-1.2%) was on par with total merchants, but timber and joinery products (+1.6%) did better. Landscaping (-13.8%) was the weakest category.
But Q3 finished with September’s total value sales up +4.6% year-on-year. Volume sales improved +5.5% and prices were -0.9% lower. Eleven of the categories sold more in terms of value. Of the two biggest categories, timber and joinery products was up +6.7%, while heavy building materials (+2.6%) grew more slowly. With one more trading day in September 2025, like-for-like value sales were down -0.1%.
“The sawmilling industry across Europe continues to face challenging circumstances,” said James Davenport, managing director of Metsä Wood UK and BMBI’s expert for softwoods and engineered timber. “Record high log prices combined with stagnant sawn timber prices, driven by low demand across Europe, are continuing to put the industry under significant pressure. Production curtailments in the third quarter have taken place and will limit the growth of stocks entering the fourth quarter, which is traditionally a quiet period for sawmills.
“The general sentiment in the sawmilling industry remains poor, and this is not expected to change in the foreseeable future.
“The UK timber industry operates within a global marketplace and international trade flows are currently being challenged with the imposition of new tariffs on lumber entering the US. The impact of these tariffs will inevitably be felt in the EU and UK market going forward; exactly how remains to be seen.
“Demand for machined timber products in the UK has been subdued in the third quarter. Customers are managing their stocks and working capital carefully, placing orders only when they have certainty of the corresponding sale. For manufacturers, availability, service and price are key to winning business currently and, we at Metsä are focused on ensuring we have the best available offer for the market.
“As an aside, the level of house transactions in the UK remains low. Often, when people move, they look to improve their property before placing it on the market. This, together with other factors such as consumer confidence, will need to improve to increase demand in the repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) market.”
For the latest reports, expert comments and round table debates, visit www.bmbi.co.uk.
| The Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) The BMBI is a brand of the BMF. The BMBI report, which is produced and managed by MRA Research, uses NiQ GfK’s Builders Merchant Point of Sale Tracking Data which analyses sales out data from 88% of generalist builders’ merchants’ sales across Great Britain. The full report is on www.bmbi.co.uk. |
