Written by Wood Campus
Industry | News
The timber shortage has brought price hikes and delays, but there is good news as supply increases.
A timber shortage which has frustrated homebuilders all year is “highly likely” to be over, according to the Timber Trade Federation (TTF).
This, the TTF says, is nearly two million cubic metres more than in the same period in 2020, and half a million (or 8%) above pre-Covid levels in 2019.
The TTF has warned, however, that challenges remain to ensure builders access timber materials, and that materials shortages continue to be felt across the industry.
Timber Shortage Still Impacted by Driver Shortages
The record-breaking volumes of timber imports this year reflect high demand, but shortages elsewhere of HGV drivers and tradespeople means problems remain in delivering this timber to building sites.
MORE: 89% of Builders Have to Delay Jobs
Nick Boulton, head of technical and trade at TTF, warned: “We are not yet out the woods as any return to ‘regular’ patterns within the UK market will be difficult amidst the ongoing shortage of HGV drivers, and in fuel and labour, which are likely to continue to impact the market in the coming months.
“These shortages are of high concern to the timber supply chain as while there may now be enough timber in the UK to meet demand it does little good to anyone when there are no means to transport stock from ports to warehouses or customers.”
Prices Remain High Too
Timber prices have steadily risen over the last year. Imported plywood costs have been particularly affected, surging in price by 81.7% in July compared to July 2020, according to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
And earlier this year, the average price of sawn and planed softwood in May, June and July had yearly increases of 55%, 65% and 88% respectively.
To read the full article visit: Homebuilding & Renovating
More News
Data & the Three Pillars of Sustainable Forestry
According to Rolf Schmitz, co-founder and co-CEO of CollectiveCrunch and the creator of Linda Forest software solutions, digitising the world’s forests is essential to understanding and fighting climate change. If a tree falls in the forest, it hardly matters if it...
FSC awareness doubled since pre-lockdown
Awareness of the FSC logo in the UK has increased 45% since 2019[1], and the proportion of those claiming both good and rough knowledge of the logo has more than doubled. With data from the Office for National Statistics revealing that nature had supported people’s...
Persimmon gets green light for timber frame factory
Planning approval has been granted by Charnwood Borough Council for Persimmon to build its new Space4 timber frame factory near Loughborough. The factory is believed to be the biggest of its kind in the UK and will produce timber frame units for up to 7,000 homes a...
BWF research shows homeowners positive over timber
New research from the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) reveals signs that timber windows and doors are viewed positively by homeowners, but that misunderstandings over their performance persist. The survey of 1,500 homeowners unearthed the main factors guiding...
Asia’s largest timber building
‘Like entering a forest’: Inside Asia’s largest timber building Singapore CNN — Singapore has long billed itself as a “garden city,” a term coined in the 1960s by the country’s founding father and former prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew. In the decades since, the island...
Call for Entries live for Wood Awards 2023
The call for entries for the Wood Awards 2023 is now live! Enter your wood-centric building, furniture or product before 23 June 2023 and have your work recognised as the best in the UK. Architects, engineers, installers, furniture makers, product designers – or...
Grand Entrance For UC4 Glulam
A new school auditorium for Horris Hill Preparatory School on its rural campus near Newbury, Berkshire, has been transformed using structural engineered timber and a Use Class 4 (UC4) treated glulam portico. The choice of materials for the new David Brownlow theatre...
Use Wood With A Clear Conscience
Sara Kulturhus in Skellefteå has made it to the final of the International Award for Wood Architecture, the winner of which will be announced on 7 April. “It’s vital to make construction climate-neutral, and wood is a natural material. With Sara Kulturhus, we’ve shown...
Australian architects declare net zero carbon for national building code
AUSTRALIAN architect members of the global organisation Architects Declare are having their say on the National Construction Code updates to make sure every new home – without costing more – will raise the required standards of sustainability. Submissions to the...
The 2021 wood awards winners announced
Six structures and two product designs have been announced as the Wood Awards 2021 winners at a ceremony on 25 November held at the Building Centre, London. Established in 1971, the Wood Awards is the UK’s premier competition for excellence in architecture and product...