Tuesday, December 16, 2025
The United Kingdom’s timber and panel product import market exhibited a divided performance in the first half of 2025. According to the latest statistics released by Timber Development UK (TDUK), total import volumes registered a modest decline, falling by 2.9% to 4.76 million m³ compared to the same period in 2024. This overall decrease—a total of 140,000 m³—was largely attributed to a weaker second quarter, which fully offset the small gains recorded in the first three months of the year. The solid wood sector bore the brunt of the downturn, with imports dropping by 3.8%, while the panel product category saw a more modest decline of 1.2%.
Nick Boulton, Head of Technical and Trade Policy at TDUK, noted the varied landscape: “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.”
Despite the softening in traditional solid wood and panel segments, the data reveal a compelling surge in demand for sophisticated, high-performance materials. Engineered Wood Products (EWPs) collectively recorded a powerful 14% increase in import volumes, underscoring their growing indispensability in modern, sustainable building applications.
Key EWP categories driving this growth include:
The timber panel market exhibited starkly different performance metrics between its key sub-segments:
The impressive growth in both hardwood and softwood plywood imports reflects resilience in industrial and construction applications, especially given the increased volumes from new sources like China and Malaysia, offsetting declines from Indonesia and Latvia.
Conversely, the market for Medium-Density Fibreboard (MDF) saw the steepest slump in the entire sector, with volumes plummeting 29% year-on-year. This profound contraction points to significant weakness in the UK’s domestic joinery, furniture, and fit-out sectors, which are the primary end-users for MDF.
The overall 4% drop in softwood imports was largely a result of reduced shipments from Sweden, which fell by 145,000 m³ (a 10% reduction). Ireland and Germany also contributed to the decline. This shortfall was partially mitigated by increased supply from Latvia and Finland, whose combined market share grew by 60,000 m³.
Simultaneously, pricing across the softwood category saw volatility. Average softwood prices rose steadily throughout the first half of the year, ending H1 2025 at an average of £291 per m³, representing a 10.8% year-on-year increase. This rise was primarily driven by a 26% jump in redwood prices, while whitewood prices actually dropped by 5%.
The market trends remain closely tied to the UK’s macroeconomic and housing climate. While the TDUK data confirms the long-term weakness in the housebuilding sector—following a 25% fall in housing starts in 2024—there was a short-term increase of 23% in housing starts in Q1 2025. This suggests some tentative recovery that may influence import volumes in the latter half of the year.
The broader economic environment in H1 2025 featured:
The resilience of engineered wood products and plywood amid an overall market contraction underscores a permanent structural change within the UK construction industry. As builders and specifiers increasingly favour materials offering superior strength, efficiency, and lower embodied carbon footprints, the trajectory of growth for structural timber panels and EWPs appears secure, positioned to lead the market even as traditional timber volumes adjust to persistent economic headwinds.
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Tags: Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) growth, Engineered Wood Products (EWP), Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) demand, MDF import decline, plywood imports UK, TDUK statistics
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