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Timber Exchange trade statistics June of 2023
2023 07 05
- In June, the State Forest Enterprise (SFE) announced 148 auctions. Besides the semi-annual auction, a total of 389.8 thousand ktm of wood products were offered. Compared to May, the volume of timber offered increased by 45% and the share of timber sold increased by 59%. The auctions were organised by 26 VMU units.
- The Wood SPOT index recorded an index value of 52.93 EUR/ktm. The index value shows a 32% drop when compared to the same period last year. Compared to the previous month, the index fell by 7%.
- Significant price changes in June were recorded in all grades except sawn logs (grade B/C). The price of firewood and panel products fell by 9% (from EUR 53.90/ktm to EUR 48.95/ktm), while the price of sawn logs (class D) fell by 12% (from EUR 62.67/ktm to EUR 54.95/ktm). 87 Eur/ktm), the price of tar logs fell by 11% (from 61.50 Eur/ktm to 54.81 Eur/ktm), the price of paper logs fell by 11% (from 60.75 Eur/ktm to 54 Eur/ktm), and the price of logging residues rose by 23% (from 27.54 Eur/ktm to 34.01 Eur/ktm).
BALTPOOL Timber Price (SPOT) Index
Trade in TOP timber assortments in ETTS short-term auctions
Trade in TOP assortments in ETTS short-term auctions
| Assortments | Quantity, solid m³ | Change in quantity per month | Quantity percentage in the scope of TOP 5 assortments | Price, Eur/solid m³ | Change in price per month | Change in price per year | |
| Baltpool Timber Spot index | Index | 142 920 | 26% | 35.5% | 52.93 | -7.2% | -32% |
| PJ (spruce, pine, birch); B/C; St,Vd; L2, L3 | 11 970 | 39% | 8% | 77.59 | -4% | -31% | |
| PJ (spruce, pine, birch); D; St,Vd; L2, L3 | 25 290 | 31% | 17.7% | 56.08 | -11% | -40% | |
| TR (deciduous, conifers) | 13 420 | 50% | 9.4% | 57.54 | -6% | -37% | |
| PP (spruce, pine, birch) | 34 615 | -19% | 24% | 55.87 | -8% | -28% | |
| PM, ML (class II and III calorific value) | 57 625 | 180% | 40% | 49.35 | -8% | -30% | |
| Felling residues, covered felling residues | 1 465 | -80% | 1% | 34.01 | 23% | 10% (31 Eur/m3) |
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Trade in regional units of the State Forest Enterprise in short-term auctions
Timber assortments sold at ETTS short-term auctions
Abbreviations:
KA – felling residues; KAD – covered felling residues; KAK – felling residues at cleared space; KL – hard leafy short timber; ML – firewood; PM – panel timber; PJ – sawn logs; PP – pulpwood; TR – packing logs; St – large-sized timber, small-end diameter ≥32 cm; Vd – medium-sized timber, small-end diameter 20-31 cm; Sm – small-sized timber, small-end diameter ≤19 cm; L1 – assortment length class, ≤2.9 m; L2 – assortment length class, 3.0 – 3.9 m; L3 – assortment length class, 4.0 – 6.0 m; L4 – assortment length class, 6.1 – 8.9 m.
Global timber market
The German sawmilling sector is experiencing a downturn as a result of reduced construction sector activity, industry leaders have warned. According to the German Sawmill and Timber Industry Association (DeSH), a large proportion of companies are having to make significant adjustments to their production activities, with over half of the surveyed members considering the current business climate as poor.
The slump in the construction industry poses major challenges for the upstream and downstream sectors of the wood industry, impacting both domestic and international operations. DeSH president Jörn Kimmich expressed concerns over a rapid economic recovery, attributing the difficult circumstances to weak foreign markets and rising raw material, energy, and labor costs. DeSH is calling for broad measures to stimulate the economy and implement preventative calamity management.
Similar challenges are mirrored in the European wood-based panel production, which saw a 7.8% reduction in 2022, according to the European Panel Federation (EPF). The furniture industry, a significant consumer of wood-based panels, suffered a 5% decrease in the latter half of 2022, impacting various segments including particleboard, MDF, OSB, and softboard production.
Contrastingly, in the US, housing starts in May 2023 experienced a positive turnaround, up 22% from the previous month and 6% from May 2022. Building permits, a leading indicator of future construction, increased by more than 5%. This has led to a subsequent rise in demand for construction framing softwood lumber, with prices climbing by 4% in the week ending June 23, 2023.
However, rising demand also gives rise to concerns including the threat of wildfires, recent curtailments and production adjustments, and the potential for summer shutdowns. These factors have contributed to an atmosphere of guarded optimism in the market, particularly among suppliers of Western S-P-F lumber in Canada.
In Lithuania, the forestry sector faces an escalating pest outbreak due to spring drought and insufficient rainfall, leading to a record surge in bark beetle populations. The pest predominantly threatens spruce forests aged 40 years and older. Foresters are now implementing intensive sanitary forest protection measures, including scouting, pest eradication, and removal of affected trees.
In summary, the global wood and timber industry is experiencing a mixed bag of circumstances, from economic downturns and reduced production to upticks in housing starts and pest outbreaks, all of which necessitate prompt and effective responses from industry stakeholders.