Swedish Sawmills delivered strongly in 2024 – thanks to exports
Despite the recession and reduced construction, Swedish sawmills produced roughly the same volumes in 2024 as in 2023. The explanation is exports, especially within the EU.
Swedish sawmills produced 17.8 million cubic metres of sawn timber in 2024. This is largely at the same level as in 2023, according to data from the Swedish Forest Industries Federation.
Exports to Europe and countries such as Egypt helped to maintain relatively good production, despite a weak construction market in Sweden. The supply of raw materials in Europe is low due to the sanctions against Russia.
"If the trend of lower interest rates continues next year, it should mean more construction starts and thus continued good volume out of the Swedish sawmills," says Christian Nielsen, market analyst for wood products at the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, in a news item on the trade association's website.
Up for paper pulp
The production of paper pulp also showed unexpectedly good figures in 2024. The main reason, according to the Swedish Forest Industries Federation, is a continued increase in integrated pulp, which is used for production in its own paper and board mills.
Market pulp, which is produced for external sale, currently accounts for almost 60 percent of pulp production and is expected to have a more stable growth rate than integrated pulp in the long term.
The production of paper and board increased by 7.7 percent in 2024. Strong growth in packaging paper and graphic paper, both of which had a weak 2023, is considered to be behind the good numbers.
"The strong strengthening of production in 2024 was partly due to the fact that many companies in the value chain built up their inventories. This effect is not expected to last next year. Changes in consumer buying behaviour may also have a lasting impact," says Charlotte Dickens, market analyst for paper and pulp at the Swedish Forest Industries Federation.
