European consumption of tropical hardwood plywood remained at low levels during the third quarter and there now seems little prospect of any significant upturn in forward buying before the end of the year.
Continue reading “Europe Offers Little Prospect of Improved Hardwood Plywood Demand – ITTO European Market Report 29th September 2010”European Construction Trends Indicate Mixed Prospects for Hardwood – ITTO European Market Report 15th September 2010
The relationship between hardwood demand and overall construction activity in the EU is not a simple one. Hardwoods tend to be used in the finishing trades rather than for structural elements and demand is often driven more by refurbishment than new build. That said, there is no doubt that indices of overall construction sector activity are a useful guide to likely levels of hardwood consumption. And since hardwoods tend to arrive on-site at the end rather than the beginning of construction projects, a recent upturn in construction activity can usually be interpreted as a sign that hardwood demand is about to pick up.
Continue reading “European Construction Trends Indicate Mixed Prospects for Hardwood – ITTO European Market Report 15th September 2010”