European demand for timber floors continued to grow in 2001, despite a dip in core markets. Sales in countries which are long-term members of the European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP) were down 1.2% to below 80 million m2, with production 1.3% lower at 62.1 million m2.
However, according to reports released at the FEP congress in Helsinki last week, production from new members of the organisation, Hungary, Poland and Romania, boosted total output to 75.6 million m2, while consumption in non-FEP member countries in the EU and European Free Trade Association pushed total sales up to 95 million m2. This represented a European wide annual growth in consumption of 4.4%, giving timber a 5.1% share of the total floorcoverings market.
FEP predicted that demand in 2002 would remain around the same.
