Total EU imports of wood flooring from tropical countries were practically unchanged (+1% to 3.327 million sq.m) in the first nine months of 2015. However import trends varied widely between European countries. Most notably imports into France increased 32.9% to 760,784 sq..m, a gain offset by a 38.3% decline to 407,264 sq.m in imports by Belgium. According to ITTO, these trends are more likely due to alterations in distribution networks for wood flooring in north-western Europe than to any significant change in consumption levels.
The European Federation of the Parquet Industry (FEP) reports that wood flooring sales in France were merely stable in the first nine months of this year; an increase in sales by around 3% in the first few months was followed by a satisfactory second and a weaker third quarter.
FEP also reports stable sales and consumption of wood flooring in Belgium in the first nine months of this year. UK imports of wood flooring from tropical countries increased 8.2% to 430,659 sq.m in the first nine months of 2015. This aligns with FEP estimates that overall wood flooring sales in the UK increased by around 5% in the first nine months of this year, ITTO reports.
Italian imports of wood flooring from tropical countries were stable at 330,829 sq.m in the first nine months of 2015, also in line with FEP estimates of stable overall wood flooring consumption in Italy.
Imports of wood flooring from tropical countries into Germany declined 12.2% to 323,661 sq.m in the first nine months of 2015. FEP reports that luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) remain a strong competitor to wood flooring assortments in this market. However, the total market for wood flooring in Germany appears to be performing better than the tropical wood segment. FEP records stable sales of all wood flooring in Germany in the first nine months of 2015. The German market continues to see a strong trend of using oak in both flooring and furniture.
In the Netherlands, recovery in the building sector is reflected in a 42.6% increase in imports (to 295,344 sq.m) of wood flooring from tropical countries in the first nine months of 2015. Unlike Germany, imports of wood flooring in the Netherlands from tropical countries increased more rapidly than overall demand. FEP records no more than a 2% increase in overall wood flooring sales in the Netherlands during the period. However FEP confirms that the Dutch housing market has “a better outlook than in the last seven years”.
Sweden (+66.4% to 255,746 sq.m) and Spain (+18.5% to 186,178m2) also registered significant increases in wood flooring imports from tropical countries in the first nine months of 2015, although from a very small base.
In contrast, imports declined sharply into Denmark (- 29.1% to 139,810 sq.m) and Poland (-51.5% to 50,486 sq.m), despite FEP reporting a slightly positive development in overall wood flooring sales in both countries during the same period.
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