Thus, production remains below pre-crisis levels. Both the construction and furniture industries continued to experience declines, but there are some signs of a recovery.
As reported at the EPF’s press conference in May at the Interzum trade fair in Cologne, the market environment remains challenging. On the one hand, high energy costs still have a negative impact, despite falling from their peak in the third quarter of 2022. On the other hand, low consumer confidence is slowing the recovery of the construction and furniture industries, while the savings rate is reaching historically high levels.
2025 is expected to be a difficult year. Nevertheless, the long-term outlook for wood-based materials is positive, which is reflected in the investments manufacturers are planning to make in capacities.
