Table 2.22 and Figure 2.4 show the inputs to mills that produce wood-based panels in the UK. The mills used a total of 3.7 million tonnes of material in 2017, representing a 4% decrease from 2016. The inputs in 2017 comprised 1.1 million green tonnes of roundwood (28%), 1.7 million green tonnes of sawmill products (46%) and 0.9 million tonnes of recycled wood fibre (25%).
Table 2.22 Inputs to wood-based panel mills, 2008-2017
Year | UK roundwood1 | Sawmill products | Imports2 | Total | |||||
Soft wood | Hard wood | Soft wood | Hard wood | Soft wood | Hard wood | Soft wood | Hard wood | Recycled wood fibre3,4 | |
thousand green tonnes | |||||||||
2008 | 1219 | 2 | 1591 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2810 | 2 | 1119 |
2009 | 1135 | 1 | 1435 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2570 | 1 | 1065 |
2010 | 1375 | 1 | 1631 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3013 | 2 | 1120 |
2011 | 1417 | 1 | 1779 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3196 | 1 | 952 |
2012 | 1269 | 2 | 1851 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3120 | 2 | 909 |
2013 | 1263 | 0 | 1709 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2972 | 0 | 853 |
2014 | 1283 | 0 | 1809 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3092 | 0 | 812 |
2015 | 1334 | 0 | 1687 | 0 | 12 | 5 | 3033 | 5 | 852 |
2016 | 1248 | 0 | 1749 | 0 | 10 | 29 | 3007 | 29 | 838 |
2017 | 1059 | 0 | 1726 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 2785 | 22 | 923 |
Source: Wood Panel Industries Federation
Notes:
1. UK roundwood derived from stemwood.
2. Imports include roundwood, wood products and products from imported wood.
3. Recycled wood fibre is wood fibre recovered from both pre- and post-consumer wood waste for use in wood-based panel production. It comprises wood originally grown in the UK and wood originally grown in forests outside the UK.
4. Quantities are as delivered, with an assumed average moisture content of 25%. To convert to green tonnes (assuming moisture content of 52%), multiply by 1.56.
Figure 2.4 Inputs to wood-based panel mills, 1904-2017
Note:
1. Recycled wood fibre data not available before 1999.
Source: Wood Panel Industries Federation
Sources chapter: Wood-based panels