Notwithstanding the continuing wintry weather, the last two to three weeks have seen a revival in business activity on German softwood-lumber markets. Important reasons for this trend are what are evidently for some businesses’ significantly improved export-sales opportunities on softwood-lumber markets both within and outside Europe. Numerous companies report brisk order receipts and seasonally satisfactory capacity utilisation. Manufacturers estimate that a partial withdrawal of Scandinavian consignors from the British market has resulted in importers there having to find replacement supplies at short notice and turning to German producers as alternative suppliers. Parallel to that, it has in recent days been possible to realise ad hoc price supplements on the British market of in some cases more than GBP 20/m3.
