American Softwoods

Representing the Southern Pine Council and the Softwood Export Council

25 Castle Street, High Wycombe, Bucks., HP13 6RU

Tel: 01494 451000 Fax: 01494 451100

E-mail: americansoftwoods@compuserve.co

QUARTERLY MARKET REPORT

FOR NORTHERN EUROPE

JANUARY – MARCH 2001

OVERALL EUROPEAN SITUATION:

The broad overall opinion obtained from a number of major importers across Europe is that the imports of sawn softwood from the US into Europe has been severely affect by the strength of the US dollar as can be seen from Table 1.

These figures clearly show the slow but gradual decrease which has taken place over the past 3 years.

TABLE 1

IMPORTS OF U S SOFTWOOD LUMBER BY COUNTRY-m3
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COUNTRY	1998	1999	2000
BELGIUM/LUX	22912	22468	13221
DENMARK	1381	1940	1479
FRANCE	22092	36172	28671
GERMANY	87108	52691	42170
GREECE	13390	11863	4786
IRELAND	9322	8272	6697
ITALY	127334	135289	67628
NETHERLANDS	14222	11432	9980
PORTUGAL	3593	5639	3655
SPAIN	146325	180064	156983
SWEDEN	103	71	390
UNITED KINGDOM	39524	41675	27217
TOTAL EXPORTS	487306	507576	362877

This together with the fact that the German economy which main power house of the European economy has slowed right down.

The above figures relate to sawn softwoods only. The picture is however not as gloomy as they appear on face value because the down turn is not across all species as will be shown further into the report.

Also added value products such as flooring, mouldings and veneer have shown significant improvement.

COUNTRY COMMENTARY

GERMANY:

The export figures from the U.S. for the first 9 months of 2000 is shown in Table 2.

Whilst U.S. exports to Germany have been decreasing imports from countries like Sweden and Finland have also shown a downward trend. This is also reflection of the fact that as already mentioned the German economy has slowed right down.

Table 2 shows the various species imported. It is interesting to note that while the 2 main species, Douglas fir and Southern Pine are showing a downward trend, most other species are in fact showing improving import levels as shown in the Table 3.

Table 2

IMPORTS INTO EUROPE OF U S SOFTWOOD SPECIES - m3
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GERMANY
SPECIES	1998	1999	2000
S P F	2683	969
Hem Fir	913	65
Spruce	433	245	462
Southern Pine	33335	28513	13892
Ponderosa Pine	1484	1086	1704
Lodgepole Pine	75	118	137
Other Pine	723	1023	992
Douglas Fir	15343	12133	4136
Other Fir	1127	35	3752
Hemlock	62	408	856
Larch	921	3276
Eastern White Pine	24	224	883