1 July 2006
Forestry specialists have released a new report on how the global wood products market may shape up over the next 25 years.
This valuable information underlies strategic decisions made by all forest growers, wood and fibre processors.
It gives the global wood products industry an insight into country and regional forecasts of forest resources and wood products consumption, production, trade and prices.
Known as the World Wood Industries Outlook: 2005 – 2030, the comprehensive report contains detailed tables of projections up to 2030 for 14 wood products in each of the 180 countries that are active in the global wood products market.
Forecasts are provided for the production, consumption, imports, exports, prices, forest area, and forest stock relating to these products.
Rotorua-based market analyst and report co-author, Frances Maplesden, says that the past 30 years have seen considerable change in the global wood products sector.
“The most significant changes include the development of plantation forests as a low-cost source of fibre and technological advances improving the utilisation of wood through the development of new products.”
Ms Maplesden also cites rapid economic growth in East Asia enabling this region to increase its share of global wood product consumption, and increased globalisation contributing to rapid growth in the trade of wood products.
“All of the variables that have affected the wood products sector will continue to influence it over the next 30 years. This will mean continuing change in the location and growth of wood products industries, wood product demand and forest resources, and the mix of forest products produced and consumed.”
The Outlook report has been developed jointly by Ensis and the University of Wisconsin to offer insights as to how these trends may unfold.
The projections offered by the report were made with the Global Forest Products Model, a dynamic spatial-econometric representation of the sector.
“The implications of these projections for key industry players and policymakers are discussed in the report, and critical issues are identified which may impact on the forecasts,” Ms Maplesden says.
The World Wood Industries Outlook: 2005 – 2030 is an invaluable reference document that can be used by the global wood products industry for future planning.
Copies of the report are available from Ensis and can be obtained by contacting enquiries@ensisjv.com