For the panel world, 2021 proved to be an outstandingly good year. Despite the aftermath of the “Covid-19” pandemic, the regular annual report by Epf – the European Panels Federation – showed that the industry not only recovered its accumulated losses in 2020 but managed to beat the production levels of 2019.
In fact, more than 63.7 million cubic meters of wood-based panels were produced in 2021, an increase of 9.8 percent over last year and 7.6 percent over 2019.
In detail, Epf member countries showed an above-average growth in the production of softboard (plus 12.6 percent), plywood (plus 12.2 percent) and particleboard (plus 11.9 percent). With a share in the overall production of 54 percent and 20 percent, respectively, particleboard and mdf production showed the largest increase in absolute terms (3.6 million cubic meters the former and more than 900 thousand cubic meters the latter)
APPLICATIONS
The furniture industry remains the main commercial outlet for wood-based panel producers in 2021, with 49 percent of production dedicated to this sector (in 2020 it was 47 percent).
The “shares” of the construction and packaging sectors remain stable and they absorb 38 percent and 10 percent of wood-based panel production, respectively.
PARTICLEBOARD
After falling by 4.4 percent in 2020 due to the pandemic, European particleboard production exceeded 34.3 million cubic meters, back above 2019 pre-pandemic levels by more than 2.2 million and approaching the pre-financial crisis levels of 2008-2009. This level of production is close to that recorded before the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.
Germany remains the leading particleboard producer in Europe with nearly 6.1 million cubic meters in 2021 and an 8.6 percent increase over 2020 (representing 18 percent of EU-Efta production). It is followed by Poland (4.2 million m3, plus 5.3 percent), France (3.28 million m3) and Italy (3.05 million m3).
MDF
Mdf panels production in Europe increased by 7.6 percent in 2021, reaching nearly 12.9 million cubic meters (excluding Turkish and Russian production). Germany remains Europe’s leading producer, with a 2.8 percent increase in production in 2021, exceeding 3.5 million cubic meters made. It is followed by Poland and Italy, which overtook France. Fifth place for the United Kingdom. The combined production of these five countries accounts for a 71 percent share of the overall European mdf production, which remains stable compared to 2020. In 2021, 48 percent of European mdf production consisted of thick panels (over 9 millimeters). Those between five and nine millimeters thick accounted for about 23 percent, while thin mdf panels (less than five millimeters) accounted for a share of 29 percent.
OSB
The latest calculations released by Epf reveal that European osb production growth has slowed down from 4.2 percent in 2020 to 2 percent in 2021, reaching nearly 7.2 million cubic meters due to capacity expansion projects announced in Germany, Hungary and the United Kingdom. Germany and Romania continue to have the largest European osb production capacities. Poland completes the podium.
HARDBOARD
Hardboard production also increased, after declining in 2019-2020. The production of “hardboard” in Europe increased by 2.4 percent in 2021 to reach a total of 526 thousand cubic meters (excluding Russia). Regarding Europe as a whole, domestic hardboard sales increased by 2.3 percent, while exports declined slightly by 0.7 percent: 85 percent of sales went to applications in the EU-27 region, the United Kingdom, Efta, Russia, Turkey, and the Balkans, with an increase by 1 percent in total shipments to this group. Sales to the rest of the world decreased instead by 1 percent compared to 2020.
SOFTBOARD
After a very sharp contraction in 2019 (minus 8.6 percent), European soft panel production had grown from 5.7 percent in 2020 and, in 2021, touched 12.6 percent. Production exceeded 5.6 million cubic meters, (an all-time record). Rigid “soft panels” accounted for 57 percent of production and flexible soft panels the remainder. 96 percent of sales went to the EU-27, the UK, Efta, Russia, Turkey and the Balkans.
(f.i)
europanels.org
