Wood-based Panels in Europe

Wood-based Panels: particleboard (chipboard), OSB (Oriented Strandboard, fibreboard

   (HDF, MDF, LDF), plywood, blockboard, LVL (laminated veneer lumber); excl. veneers, HPL (High-Pressure

    Laminates), excl. CPL (Continuous Pressed Laminates) and excl. also WPC (Wood Plastic Composites)

  Europe: focus on the EPF (European Panel Federation) coverage but incl. also Russia and Turkey

  Borderless Business: global companies with extensive integration into furniture components,  floorings and building components; IKEA’s role as trend setter within furniture materials

Major Facts & Figures: mainly period 2007-2017 (2007 a record year for particleboard and fibreboard), data based mainly on national association figures and individual company data

 Raw Materials: increasing importance of recovered wood as raw material

 Emissions and Adhesive-resin Developments

 Abbreviations: cbm = m3 , M = million, L = length, W = width, H = height   

   Wood-based Panels in Europe, Russia and Turkey

     Europe         EPF total for the period 2015-2017     56,5 million m3 p.a.

                   whereof particleboard accounts  for   30,5 million m3 or 54,0 %

                   OSB (Oriented Strand Board) for            5,3 million m3 or 10,6 %

                    fibreboards (HDF, MDF and LDF) for    17,7 million m3 or 31,4 %                                     

               plywood excl. blockboard *       for         3,0 million m3 or    5,3 %       

 * blockboard (Tischlerplatte in German) is a significant product in the PRC; European production

 amounted to an average of 280 000 cbm p.a. in 2015-2017;

    Non-EPF wood-based panels in 2015-2017:

Russia with 12,3 million cbm p.a. whereof plywood 4,2 million cbm p.a.  Turkey with 9,0 million cbm p.a. whereof plywood 0,2 million cbm p.a.

   Wood-based panels in Europe + Russia + Turkey: circa 78 million cbm p.a. in 2015-2017

                 Wood-based Panels in Europe     Production of OSB averaged 5,3 M m3 p.a. in EPF area in 2015-2017 where-

    OSB – a fast growing market                      as output of OSB was circa 4 M m3 p.a. during the period of 2006-2008         

 There were 176 production lines within the particleboard industries in Europe at the end of the year 2002 but at least one third of those production lines have been closed by mid-year 2018.

 OSB: the branch organisation EPF counts 11 production plants in Europe as follows:

Norbord in Genk, Belgium Kronobourgas in Bourgas,

 Bulgaria Kronospan CR in Jihlava, Czech Republic                                   Sonae Industria in Chatellerault, France

Kronofrance (Krono Swiss) in Sully sur Loire, France      

 Fritz Egger in Wismar, Germany

 Sonae Industria (former Glunz) in Nettgau, Germany    

 SmartPly Europe in Waterford, Ireland

 Kronospan in Sanem, Luxembourg                             

Kronopol (Krono Swiss) in Zary, Poland

 Norbord in Inverness, Scotland, the UK                                                                                                    

 Poland has become a major supplier of OSB with a present capacity of circa 950 000 m3 p.a.  Russia: OSB output amounted to 700 000 m3 in 2015, the present capacity exceeds 2 M m3; Ultralam has a new factory with 500 000 M m3 p.a., Kronospan will start a new line with 1 M m3 p.a. in Ufa,   

Turkey: OSB output amounted to 177 000  in 2017        

Borderless Business: These global players have acquired medium-sized and even large companies in Europe, Russia & other CIS countries and North America.  -  Small companies hardly survive.