The European sawmilling sector continues facing challenging times. The market conditions have been challenging, apart from some exceptions, not really improving since the beginning of the first half of 2011.

This is the main message from the discussions on the sawn timber markets as held in the context of the EOS general assembly in Vienna on 4 June 2013, hosted by the Austrian Association of the Wood Industries.
Due to the effects of the general economic and financial crisis and the low level of construction activity, coupled with low consumer confidence and tight wood availability with high raw material costs, the sawmilling companies have been forced to start restructuring their operations. To add to
the already otherwise tightened raw material availability, the industry has seen an intensified tendency by the foreign competitors to source more and more European hardwood and softwood logs to their operations.
Meanwhile, the industry has started to strengthen itself in terms of participating in the industrial policy formation. This has been deemed necessary due to the fact that the demand for woody biomass is becoming clearly more widespread within the society with EU’s strengthened ambition to tackle the climate change and promote the use of biofuels and bioenergy. By the same token, wood working industry’s long term promotion of low carbon footprint, sustainable timber construction solutions are gaining widespread acceptance within the policy makers. Indeed, our basic raw material – wood, coupled with innovative production techniques, allows the production of highly efficient products for e.g. energy efficient buildings and construction in general. As such, the use of wood is part of the solution by becoming a cornerstone of the EU policy to reducing greenhouse gas emissions strongly towards 2050.
To respond to the above mentioned political and market requirements, EOS has decided to strengthen its organization and enhance its operations. While EOS already is recognized on the EU political parquet, the members have realized that in order to be able to carry out its mandate efficiently, the EOS Secretariat in Brussels needs to enhance its operations so that it can more efficiently represent its member federations and sawmill industry.

Upcoming events:

•  International Hardwood Conference, Brussels 18-20 September 2013
•  EOS General Assembly and International Softwood Conference, Edinburgh 14-19 October 2013

For more information, please contact the EOS Secretary General, Mr. Kimmo Järvinen (Kimmo.Jarvinen@eos-oes.org , +32 492 69 79 98).
Annex: report on the market situation for sawn timber.

About EOS
The European Organisation of the Sawmill Industry (EOS) is a Brussels-based non-profit association representing the interests of the European sawmilling sector and the benefits of its products. The collective expertise of EOS’s members provides a unique source of information both for and on the industry; coordinating essential exchanges of experience and knowledge among its members, the ability to provide technical assistance to legislators and to identify independent experts on specific issues.
Through its member countries EOS represents some 35 000 companies across Europe. Together they represent 75 % of the total European sawn wood output and a turnover of almost 37 billion EUR, and 15% of the overall woodworking and furniture industry in EU.