Forest industries roundwood consumption turned into a decrease in 2019. The consumption reduced by three per cent from the previous year to 71 million cubic metres. The consumption of domestic roundwood decreased from the previous year’s peak by five per cent, while that of imported roundwood increased. Nearly half of all roundwood was used in the production of chemical pulp.
The economic downturn reduced the production of forest industry products and, as a result, the consumption of roundwood. In 2019, forest industry companies processed 71 million cubic metres of roundwood, down by three per cent from the previous year.
– The six-year increase in the consumption of roundwood came to a stop. During this time, the total consumption of roundwood increased more than 12 million cubic metres. Two years ago, the consumption of domestic roundwood reached an all-time record, says Esa Ylitalo, Senior Statistician at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke).
Consumption of domestic roundwood decreased, that of imported roundwood increased
The production of forest industry products consumed 61 million cubic metres of domestic roundwood, down by five per cent from 2018. The consumption of all domestic roundwood assortments decreased, while the consumption of imported roundwood continued to increase. In 2019, forest industries processed nearly 10 million cubic metres of imported roundwood, seven per cent more than in the year before. The consumption of hardwood pulpwood and imported chips increased the most.
– The most important roundwood assortments used in 2019 were pine pulpwood at 18 million cubic metres, and hardwood pulpwood and spruce logs, at 14 million cubic metres each, Ylitalo says.
Nearly half of all roundwood consumed by the chemical pulp industry
The consumption of roundwood decreased in all branches, apart from the semi-chemical pulp industry. Nearly half of all roundwood, 35 million cubic metres, was processed by the chemical pulp industry. This was nearly at the same level as in 2018. Instead, the amount of roundwood consumed by the sawmilling industry decreased by six per cent from the previous year to 26 million cubic metres.
The amount of forest industry by-products and wood residues, mainly comprising sawmill chips and dust, consumed in the production of forest industry products was 10 million cubic metres, roughly the same as in the previous year. Of this, chemical pulp industry accounted for nearly three quarters.
The highest processing volume in South Karelia
One fifth of roundwood, or 14 million cubic metres, was consumed in the region of South Karelia. It was followed by the regions of Kymenlaakso and Central Finland, with a processing volume of nearly eight million cubic metres each.
Information about the statistics
The annual consumption of roundwood by the forest industries is largely based on data collected by the Finnish Forest Industries Federation from its member companies. Luke collects the remaining information directly from other companies that consume wood. The consumption of roundwood by small sawmills has been identified through separate surveys conducted approximately every ten years.
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