UK timber and panel product imports fell slightly in the first half of 2025, as softwood, hardwood and MDF volumes declined, according to the latest Timber Development UK statistics. However, strong growth in engineered wood and plywood imports highlight changing supply dynamics and sustained demand for high-value timber products.
UK timber and panel product imports fell by 2.9% in the first half of 2025 to 4.76 million m³. A weaker second quarter offset a modest rise in Q1 volumes, with total imports down from 4.9 million m³ in the same period last year.
Solid wood imports dropped by 3.8%, and panel products by 1.2%. Softwood imports fell 4%, driven mainly by a 10% reduction in shipments from Sweden – down 145,000m³ year-on-year. Ireland and Germany also sent less softwood, although increased volumes from Latvia and Finland partly offset this, with the two countries’ combined share up 60,000m³. Tropical hardwoods also weakened, reversing early-year gains to end H1 down 6%, while MDF imports slumped 29% compared with 2024.
Despite the overall decline, engineered wood products (EWPs), plywood and particleboard recorded strong performances. Engineered wood imports rose 14%, reflecting the material’s increasing use in sustainable building applications. Laminated veneer lumber (LVL) shipments climbed almost 10%, supported by Finnish and Polish producers, who now supply over 90% of UK demand. CLT imports increased by 20%, driven largely by the Czech Republic and Austria, while glulam imports rose 12%, helped by lower prices and steady demand from Germany, Austria and Estonia. I-beam imports, the largest EWP category, grew 18%, led by Poland and Sweden.
Plywood also strengthened, with hardwood plywood up 11% and softwood plywood up 12.6% year-on-year. Brazil remained the UK’s dominant softwood plywood supplier, accounting for nearly three-quarters of imports. China expanded its hardwood plywood shipments by 58,000m³, with Malaysia also posting gains, while imports from Indonesia, Latvia and several European countries declined.
Hardwood imports dipped just under 2% overall, though performance varied by supplier. The United States, France and Latvia all increased volumes – up a combined 18% or 15,000m³ – with Latvia’s lower-cost temperate hardwood exports jumping 78%. U.S. supply also grew by 14%. Other countries saw steep declines: Estonia’s shipments fell 14%, Romania’s 19%, and the Republic of Congo’s 10%. Tropical hardwood trade showed similar divergence, with Cameroon (+6%) and Malaysia (+28%) offsetting falls from West African suppliers. Mixed hardwood volumes rose 15%, supported by growing imports of poplar, alder and aspen from the U.S. and Latvia.
MDF volumes dropped sharply to 273,000m³ in H1 2025 – a 29% fall in volume and 31% in value compared with the previous year. Oriented strand board (OSB) remained stable, down only 0.4%, while particleboard increased 1.9%, boosted by shipments from Germany, Spain and China. France retained its position as a leading supplier, although Belgium and Portugal saw reductions. Despite higher import volumes, the category’s overall value fell 10% due to weaker prices.
Softwood prices rose steadily through H1 2025, reaching an average £291 per m³ – up 10.8% year-on-year. Redwoods climbed 26%, while whitewood prices dropped 5%. Hardwood prices were largely stable, with temperate species up 7% and tropical species down 5%. Chinese hardwood plywood imports helped push prices down 8.2% to an average £386 per m³, while softwood plywood prices fluctuated, ending 2.4% higher than last year.
Timber demand remains tied to housebuilding, which continues to show long-term weakness despite a short-term rise in Q1 2025 housing starts – up 23% year-on-year following a 25% fall in 2024. GDP grew 1.2% in Q2, interest rates eased to 4.0% in August, and inflation stood at 3.6% in June, with Sterling weaker against the Euro and Dollar.
Nick Boulton, Head of Technical and Trade Policy at TDUK, said: “After a relatively steady start to 2025, timber import volumes softened in the second quarter, resulting in a modest decline compared to last year. We’re seeing a mixed picture across product categories: softwood, hardwood and MDF volumes have eased back, while engineered wood products and other panel products are enjoying strong growth, reflecting ongoing market shifts. Rising softwood prices and subdued levels of housebuilding add complexity, but the strong performance of engineered wood underlines its growing role in UK construction.”
More at: https://timberdevelopment.uk/
