German woodchips and pulpwood prices under pressure, sawdust prices up

摘要

Larger-scale market-driven cuts in output have arisen in the central European sawmilling industry again in the last few weeks, resulting in a corresponding, lower volume of sawmill residues in some regions. Some initial preliminary contracts for significant follow-on deliveries in the fourth quarter, and sometimes already beyond, have been agreed only in the last few days. As regards prices, those for sawdust and MDF/pulp woodchips have been developing in opposite directs. Whereas prices for sawdust have been raised above the hitherto applicable level by €0.50-1.50/m3 depending on the baseline, the majority of those for MDF/pulp woodchips have been cut by a similar amount; prices have even been reduced by up to €2/m3 in scattered instances. As such, sawdust prices have drawn closer to woodchip prices again. Market players believe the decisive factors for these price cuts on the sawdust market were considerably brisker purchasing behaviour by the pellet industry in the run-up to the forthcoming heating season and the meanwhile faster pace of production activity in the chipboard industry.