Executive Summary

This report analyses the UK timber and joinery market in terms of two main sectors:

• finished wood products
• timber processing and semi-finished goods.

The finished wood products sector includes builders' carpentry/joinery, wooden containers, wooden furniture of various types and miscellaneous wooden items.

In the timber processing and semi-finished goods sector, the report covers sawnwood, particleboard/chipboard, plywood, veneers, oriented strand board (OSB), fibreboard, hardboard and medium-density fibreboard (MDF).

Key Note estimates that the market value in 2000 was £10.94bn at manufacturers' selling prices, with the finished wood products sector taking the largest share of this market.

Market analysis is given for sawmilling/planing and veneer sheets within the timber processing and semi-finished goods sector, and for builders' carpentry/joinery, wooden containers, wooden furniture and other products within the finished wood products sector. Import and export data is given for all categories covered, split by EU and non-EU trade, together with a commentary on the major suppliers to the UK. Depending on the product, the UK is a major importer of timber important sources being Scandinavia, South America, South Africa, Indonesia and North America.

Several key issues are discussed within this Key Note report including: increased marketing of timber as a construction material; skills shortages; the trend towards prefabricated buildings; the greater use of electronic commerce (e-commerce); and timber certification schemes. Regarding corporate activity, there has been consolidation within the industry (including a greater stake in the UK industry by foreign companies).

The UK has a small but thriving forestry industry, which will have the capacity to produce more timber in the future. Overall, the total timber and joinery market is forecast to grow.

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