After increasing production last year, the Austrian sawmill sector is now concerned about the economic situation. The current situation raises questions and uncertainties, industry representatives said Friday. These include, for example, a change in consumer and investment behavior of customers and a decrease in timber imports from neighboring countries.
Last year, the Austrian sawmill industry increased its production for the seventh time in a row. A total of 10.9 million cubic meters of solid sawn timber was produced. Austria was among the top ten largest flows of softwood goods in the world in the first quarter of 2022 and thus played an important role in the international timber trade, said Austrian timber trade chairman Franz Mühlbauer. Exports to Italy are third in the world and seventh after Germany.
More wood in our own country
Although export figures have increased, more wood has remained domestically due to increased production. The reason for this is that the import of wood from neighboring countries has decreased. “(…) We expect this trend to continue,” said the chairman of the Austrian sawmill industry, Markus Schmölzer. This is also important because there is an import and export ban on timber and timber products from Russia.
According to Schmölzer, consumption and investment behavior has also developed into the pre-Corona period. “The money is again spent on holidays or consumption and of course there is also the general uncertainty given the general conditions.” Examples of this are the economy, consumer confidence and the associated effects on construction activities. “Of course we also wonder what will happen to the costs of energy, raw materials and logistics and higher inflation.”
fight against climate change
The industry expects another slight increase in production for 2022. The trend towards wood is continuing, as increased use is important in the fight against climate change.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
