Despite this slump, the reserves of the good previous years are far from exhausted, as the still excellent equity ratio of over 40% shows. Nevertheless, such a year marked by losses should remain the exception. This year, the situation should improve slightly – a small ray of hope.
A real turnaround is not yet in sight. However, there are some positive signs for the Central European timber companies:
- The timber construction sector is gaining ground. Although the general construction volume in German-speaking countries is decreasing, the share of timber construction is increasing.
- Over the past decades, the highest prices for fresh log wood have been paid In the DACH region. This has changed.
- This year, the log price was practically uniform across Europe, which improves the market opportunities of Central European companies in relation to their Scandinavian competitors.
- Europe’s most important overseas market, the MENA region, continues to show a stable and solid development, which is a positive signal despite all the challenges on the US market.
From a market point of view, the years of crisis will soon be over. Over the medium term, the availability of raw material, particularly spruce, remains the main problem for the European softwood industry. In ten years at the latest, supply will be significantly lower in Germany.
