Roundwood consumption in Finland reaches record level

Roundwood consumption in Finland reaches record level

The amount of roundwood consumed in the manufacture of forest industry products increased in 2017 for the fifth year in succession, being the highest in ten years. Forest industries processed more domestic roundwood than ever before, while the consumption of imported roundwood continued to decrease.

The domestic content of roundwood consumed by the forest industries in 2017 was the highest in nearly 40 years. Of different industries, the highest amount of roundwood was consumed in the chemical pulp industry.

In 2017, the forest industries’ roundwood consumption totalled almost 70 million cubic metres, which was three per cent more than a year earlier. The consumption of roundwood was at its highest in 2006, when it amounted to 76 million cubic metres. The consumption of forest industry by-products, mainly sawmill chips and dust, in the manufacture of forest industry products amounted to nearly ten million cubic metres, says Esa Ylitalo, Senior Statistician from the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).

Domestic content at its peak

The forest industries processed 62 million cubic metres of domestic roundwood. This amount was three million cubic metres or six per cent more than in the previous year and more than ever before. Instead, the consumption of imported roundwood continued to decrease, dropping by 12 per cent from the year before to less than eight million cubic metres. According to Ylitalo, the domestic content of roundwood consumed by forest industries –90 per cent of the total consumption – was the highest in nearly 40 years.

Most roundwood consumed by the chemical pulp industry

The consumption of roundwood increased from the previous year in all forest industry branches and in all assortments. The chemical pulp industry consumed the highest amount of roundwood, nearly 33 million cubic metres. This was the highest amount recorded in the history of the industry. The total consumption in the sawmilling industry increased to 26 million cubic metres. The most important roundwood assortments were pine pulpwood at 17 million cubic metres, followed by spruce logs at 14 million cubic metres.

The highest increase in Central Finland

One fifth of roundwood, or 14 million cubic metres, were consumed in the region of South Karelia. It was followed by the region of Kymenlaakso with its consumption of more than seven million cubic metres. In Central Finland, the consumption of roundwood increased to more than six million cubic metres, showing an increase of one fifth or one million cubic metres from the year before, Ylitalo says.

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