The Timber Trade Federation (TTF) monthly report reveals total import volumes for main timber and panel products were 21 percent higher in October 2020 compared to October 2019 levels, as import volumes in the month soared above the 1 million m³ mark.

However, even this strong performance cannot compensate for the loss of import volume in Q2 meaning the ten months to October 2020 is still 11 percent below, compared to the same time last year. Solid wood imports were 8 percent below the same period in 2019 and panel product imports were 15 percent lower.

The main drivers of growth in the early Autumn were OSB and softwood imports, supported by higher volumes of plywood and MDF compared to the same period in 2019.

Collectively, these four products have led to a 15 percent (377,000m³) increase in the latest three months (August-October 2020) for which data is available.