At the end of March, the Holzkurier’s CLT price index was at 110% (base: January 2019 = 100%). Given the good capacity utilization and rising raw product prices, manufacturers as well as buyers expect prices to keep rising in the second and third quarters.
Since the start of this year, the price of cross-laminated timber has increased by €50 to €60/m³, and it is expected to rise by another €15/m³ in the second quarter. Glulam producers report that the price of their product will hit €600 or more this year. Meanwhile, manufacturers of CLT, a product that is actually of a higher quality, are struggling to charge at least €500/m³.
Demand for construction products has been and remains strong. Therefore, the major timber companies are optimistic about the second quarter. According to them, the previous price increases have been “eaten up by rising log prices”. In quarterly contracts, prices are expected to be €5 to €20/m³ higher than those of the first quarter, depending on the initial situation. In Europe, therefore, manufacturers are confident that timber construction will continue to perform well.
