In terms of volumes sold, the Holzkurier is currently seeing a stable sideways movement at a low level. Producers still describe market prices as everything from “inadequate” to “catastrophic”. “We are bobbing around at an unsatisfactory level,” market participants comment.
As smaller volumes of US-specific lumber are cut, more for solid structural timber is produced. Fresh raw wood could drop to a price of €230 to €235/m³ again in September.
CLT producers report greatly varying, but overall much longer delivery times of seven weeks to “the end of the year”. These additional volumes are the result of projects (some of which have been known for some time) which are carried out now. Multi-story residential buildings, kindergartens, schools – essentially, municipal projects are currently carried out.
Hope for demand: the new modular construction factories
Nokera, Renggli and Gropyus are ready to be more active in multi-story residential construction – and to ensure additional sales of glulam, CLT and solid structural timber as a result. For example, Swiss timber construction company Renggli in Eberswalde has received the first orders for the renovation of existing large-panel system buildings. Serial renovation would be one business area for these modular construction factories.
Prices of glue-laminated timber increased slightly in July and range from €505 to €520/m³ for bulk volumes of visible-quality glulam. As for the coming months, both the price level and demand are expected to remain constant.
