Domestic consumption of roundwood continues to raise

Forest industries’ roundwood consumption continued to increase in 2018, for the sixth year in succession, said a press release of the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).

Consumption reached the mark of 70 million cubic metres for the first time in ten years. Forest industries processed more domestic roundwood than ever before, and the consumption of imported roundwood also increased.

Of different branches of industry, the highest amount of roundwood was consumed by the chemical pulp industry.

“In 2018, the forest industries’ roundwood consumption totalled 74 million cubic metres. This amount was nearly four million cubic metres more than in the previous year and the fourth highest of all time. The highest amount of roundwood, 76 million cubic metres, was consumed in 2006”, said Esa Ylitalo, Senior Statistician of Luke.

“In addition to roundwood, the forest industries also consumed approximately ten million cubic metres of sawmill chips and dust in the manufacture of forest industry products. This amount was roughly the same as in 2017.”

The forest industries processed a total of 64 million cubic metres of domestic roundwood. This amount was four per cent higher than in 2017 and more than ever before.

After four years of a decrease, the consumption of imported roundwood turned to an increase. The consumption of imported roundwood increased by one-fifth from the previous year to nine million cubic metres.

According to Ylitalo, more than twice the amount consumed in 2018 was used in the record year of 2006, when imported roundwood comprised up to one-fourth of the total roundwood consumption.

The consumption of roundwood increased from the previous year in all assortments and in all forest industry branches, apart from the semi-chemical pulp industry and other wood-products industry.

The chemical pulp industry processed the highest amount of roundwood, slightly exceeding 35 million cubic metres. This was nine per cent more than in the year before, and the highest amount recorded in the industry so far. Roundwood consumption in the sawmilling industry increased by three per cent to 27 million cubic metres.

“The consumption of pine pulpwood increased from the previous year by two million cubic metres, being more than ever before. It was followed by spruce logs at almost 15 million cubic metres”, said Ylitalo.