Structural laminated lumber market in Japan is now stable, even if imports decreased two years in a row. Still, since 2013, the volume of structural laminated lumber has been over 700,000 cbms every year, as ITTO reported.
In 2015, the total import of structural laminated lumber was 705,000 cbms, 3.1% less than in 2014. The market was slow in 2015 because the demand decreased after the taxes increased in 2014. Thus, the prices also declined, especially for laminated beam, which dropped 6,000 yen per cbm, compared to 2014.
Sawmilling companies have restrained future purchases because they fear a price drop. Instead, they shifted to purchase from domestic manufacturers, that offer them a shorter delivery time, according to ITTO.
Regarding the industrial laminated lumber supply, the imports dropped after the Sorenau plant in Austria of Stora Enso closed. While Radauti plant of H.Schweighofer in Romania started production, Japan increased the supply by importing from Romania.
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