SCA Wood have a long history of providing Swedish sawn timber products across the world and innovating its manufacturing and timber processing methods, to find out more about this and UK market dynamics, we spoke to SCA Wood UK’s Managing Director Camilla Fish
There are many challenges currently facing the timber supply chain including developments in technology, forest practices and various policy changes. Understanding these challenges – in what has been a difficult few trading years for the sector – has not stifled SCA Products UK strong growth ambitions and SCA have retained a strong market share. “The desire is to maintain this but also increase our customer base and expand into new market segments,” says Camilla. “The introduction of a new species, Nordic Lodgepole Pine, offers an exciting opportunity to broaden our offering. SCA’s forest holdings of this species will continue to grow over the coming years, and we feel the UK is well suited as a market for this product.
“One challenge in the market is that the availability of pine and spruce is now largely equal. Pine offers at least the same level of quality as spruce, even though the British market has traditionally been more familiar with spruce for construction purposes. We have also seen an erosion of the pine market over previous years, with the share of alternative products such as MDF and composite products having increased significantly.”
Extensive expertise
SCA Wood has a strong vertical integration through its forestry, sawmills and logistics network and for the UK, it has extensive and efficient shipping systems in place, that is well understood, allowing a competitive and reliable delivery solution. “The benefit of owning our own forest holdings has never been more evident than over the past 12-18 months,” says Camilla. “The well publicised high log costs, and lack of availability in spruce logs was challenging for all sawmills. However, with an integrated supply chain – where 50% of supply comes from SCA’s own forest – we have been able to maintain regular supply. Consistency and reliability are key requirements for UK customers, especially in a subdued market where quality, continuity of supply, and dependable service are highly valued. By leveraging our vertical integration, from sustainable forest management through to final delivery, we can support and prioritise our customers own operational efficiency and customer commitments.”
The timber supply chain has suffered a lot of volatility in recent years and from that perspective how is the UK and European timber market performing in terms of material demands, delivery volumes and pricing? Although the market has seen a steady period of adjustment, have material demands, delivery volumes and pricing changed significantly?
“Demand across the UK and wider European markets has been relatively subdued, particularly in the construction sector, where higher interest rates and slower housing starts have had an impact,” says Camilla. “But we are seeing early signs of stabilisation, with inventories across the supply chain normalising and a more balanced relationship emerging between supply and demand. From a material perspective, there remains good underlying demand for consistent, high-quality Nordic timber, particularly for structural and joinery applications.
“Customers are increasingly focused on reliability, quality, and sustainability rather than short-term price movements, which aligns well with SCA’s strengths as a long-term, fully integrated producer. The extreme peaks and troughs of pricing seen over the past few years have eased, and prices have stabilised. Delivery volumes are steady, both in the UK and across Europe. Overall, we see a more measured and sustainable market environment developing, where the emphasis is firmly on partnership, consistency, and long-term value.”
Healthy construction
With UK domestic timber supply set to become more strategically important via the Timber in Construction Roadmap’s priority themes, it is interesting to hear how a business such as SCA fits into the burgeoning dynamic of the UK attempting to reduce imports, within the parameters of carbon footprint of imports, versus domestic supply.
“The use of more timber in construction generally is a message we all support,” says Camilla. “However, demand in the short and medium terms far outstrips the capabilities of homegrown supply. Significant increases in planting across the UK are necessary to have Timber Supply any impact on this. Additionally, the features and quality of slow-grown, Scandinavian timber are essential for many of the end uses, so we see that the requirement will still be strong for products like these.
“We also see that SCA fits into the UK’s strategic dynamic by providing reliably sourced, sustainable timber that meets the high environmental standards required by the Roadmap and supporting the broader objectives of decarbonisation and sustainable construction. Some of its key requirements are that all timber, regardless of whether domestically produced or imported, must be sustainably produced and certified. SCA’s operations are firmly aligned with these requirements, and we consistently emphasise the sustainability of our products. Our Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) map the climate footprint of sawn timber from forest to customer. This transparency helps the UK construction industry choose low-carbon materials and meet the Roadmap’s priority of improving data on timber and whole life carbon. Ultimately, we see that there is space for both domestic and Swedish timber in the UK and support any initiatives that encourage and drive the use of more timber in construction as it strengthens the demand for timber will benefit all of us.”
Given emerging trends in construction and the popularity of offsite timber systems – several volume housebuilders have brought timber frame operation in-house e.g. Barratt Redrow and Oregon Timber Frame – how does SCA Wood UK positioning itself in this changing timber dynamic?
“The growth of offsite timber systems and timber frame construction creates a need for consistent, high-quality timber,” says Camilla. “SCA can provide the level of reliability, accuracy, and flexibility that modern construction methods require, delivering predictable volumes that allow customers to plan production and assembly with confidence. We also see opportunities to support innovation in the sector. As robotics and automated manufacturing become more widespread in timber frame operations, the demand for uniform, high-specification materials will only increase.
“Ultimately, our strategy is to combine sustainably sourced, certified timber with responsive, reliable supply and a strong customer focus. This positions SCA as a trusted partner for UK builders and manufacturers navigating the shift towards industrialised, offsite, and automated construction methods.”
