Following three years of sluggish growth, the particleboard industry finally picked up the positive track again. During 2004, particleboard production within the EPF member countries amounted to 34.3 million m³ and reached as such a new highest level. Compared to 2003, this means a robust increase of 5.2%, but even the previous record level from the year 2000 was topped by more than 1 million m³. On the overall European level, particleboard production increased by 4.8% during 2004 up to 38.2 million m³. These favourable results were underpinned by the recovery of the end-user markets. In particular the revival of the furniture market and the resumed construction activities provided sound impetus to particleboard sales.
The situation in the wood-based panels industries was presented at Interzum fair in Koln by Mr Ladislaus Döry, President of the European Panel Federation.
According to Mr. Döry, consumption has risen by 6.4% during 2004 within the EPF member countries, up to 31.2 million m³, thereby approaching the 2000 record very closely. On the European scale, growth in particleboard consumption reached 5.9%, piloting total demand to nearly 35 million m³, which clearly exceeds the previous record level of 2000. The Eastern European countries provided the additional momentum that was required to bring demand back to this record level. With some new capacities coming on stream in 2005 and 2006, the prospects for further growth in production and demand are favourable for the particleboard industry, which is expected to maintain a good operating rate and a healthy supply/demand balance.
Also the MDF industry performed well in 2004. MDF production increased by 5.7% up to a new record level of 11.9 million m³. Over the past decade, MDF production has been growing along the lines of an average annual growth rate of 13%. Very dynamic European markets, where total demand increased by 10.1% to 11.4 million m³, backed the continued growth during 2004. Demand was boosted again by strong growth of the laminate flooring industry, which has become the most important market for MDF in Europe and now accounts for 40% of all sales.
Exports, on the other hand, were rather quiet. For 2005, MDF consumption is expected to grow further, although probably at a lower pace. The European OSB industry registered the highest growth rates with production amounting to 2.8 million m³, which means that the previous record was beaten by almost 15%. Over the past decade, OSB production has been growing on average by nearly 30%. European demand for OSB has equally risen by 15% during 2004 to set a new record level at 2.4 million m³. In absolute terms, this means an augmentation by more than 300,000 m³ in line with the additionally produced output, which is one of the highest in ten years. For 2005, the OSB production is firmly expected to cross the 3 million m³ threshold.
The European Panel Federation (EPF) represents the European manufacturers of particleboard, MDF and OSB from 23 countries.
Mr Nicola Reni, President of the European Federation of the Plywood Industry, informed about the market situation for plywood in Europe. Thanks to several new members in recent years, FEIC now represents 75 member companies in 21 countries with a total production capacity of more than 4 million m³ of plywood and blockboard. During 2004, the FEIC member companies were able to continue their non-stop growth pattern in terms of production. Within the FEIC member countries, plywood production increased by 2.6% during 2004 up to a new record level at more than 3.6 million m³. Especially the strong performance of Europe’s largest plywood producer, Finland, boosted the overall result. In addition, also France recovered markedly during 2004, in particular thanks to a dynamic coniferous plywood sector. Italy, by contrast, had to witness the closure of some important (poplar) plywood mills at the beginning of the year, which accounted together for 14.5% of the total Italian production capacity.
The second product from the plywood industry is blockboard, which is mainly produced in Germany. Italy is the second producer, while also Poland and the Czech Republic produce significant volumes of blockboard. The total European production of blockboard in 2004 amounted to 268,000 m³, which was 0.7% less than in the previous year and thus extends the downward trend in the European results since 2000.
Plywood consumption within the FEIC member countries remained fairly stable during 2004. The previous year had recorded an exceptionally strong upswing, when plywood consumption increased by nearly 6%. During 2004, demand remained at just over 3.8 million m³ and thus maintained the high level achieved the year before. However, there are some major consumers of plywood that are fully dependent on imports to satisfy their domestic demand, such as the UK, Netherlands, Denmark and Ireland. The UK is of particular importance since it is Europe’s largest consumer of plywood. These countries are not included in the FEIC statistics and, therefore, the total European consumption level is much higher.
However, it has to be considered that the FEIC plywood manufacturers are facing strong competitive pressure from foreign imports on their local markets. During 2004, imports of plywood into the EU amounted to 3.6 million m³ and thus equalled the FEIC production output, while demand only amounted to 6 million m³. This highlights the pressure on the European markets that is increasingly affecting the European manufacturers.
The European Federation of the Plywood Industry (FEIC) represents 75 plywood manufacturing companies from 21 countries. |
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