Blogs Archive

Archive of blogs from the global wood industry

Blogs By Date

December 2023

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Bright spots despite difficult markets in 2023
28 December 2023 The approach of a New Year often brings an equal measure of trepidation and optimism.

September 2023

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Birch plywood investigation responds to concerns
25 September 2023 In the UK there have been many rumours over the past year of birch plywood originating from Russia circumventing the current import ban on the product.

March 2023

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Ukrainian panels sector surprise
30 March 2023 It seems incredible that wood-based panels factories can operate successfully in a war zone, but that is exactly what is happening in the west of the Ukraine for Swiss Krono’s two facilities there.

September 2022

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Caution signalled on markets ahead
19 September 2022 Gatherings of representatives from the global wood-based panels industry are always a good bellwether of market trends and a means of identifying opportunities and challenges in the sector.

August 2021

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Getting our Ligna fix - digitally
20 August 2021 I’m sure many readers of WBPI have the familiar experience of walking the halls of the Hannover Messe for the biennial Ligna exhibition of the global woodworking industries.

April 2020

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Responding to the coronavirus challenge
30 April 2020 As I write this column, the coronavirus pandemic was starting to impact the international woodbased panels industry, with reports of mills starting to adjust production and even temporarily close some operations in North America and Europe.

March 2020

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Trade Show calendar will look different in 2020
16 March 2020 The coronavirus outbreak has dominated the news of late and it is now having some ramifications on elements of the global wood-based panels sector and exhibitions.

June 2018

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Investment and growth continues
26 June 2018 Judging by the amount of investment and expansion news we have in this issue, the buoyancy in the global panels industry continues unabated.

April 2018

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The future is bright
16 April 2018

March 2018

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Innovation drives industry
01 March 2018 In wood we have a material that lends itself to innovation.

December 2017

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VOCs a hot topic
20 December 2017

June 2017

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April 2017

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December 2016

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October 2016

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Use before burning
05 October 2016

August 2016

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The Brexit effect
01 August 2016

July 2016

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WBPI -- the voice of the global panel industry
13 July 2016 Sadly for me, this is the last issue of WBPI for which I will be fully responsible.

May 2016

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WBPI: the voice of the global panel industry
16 May 2016 The knock-on effects of the slowdown in the Chinese economy have taken some of the gloss off more positive figures for the panel industry seen in the last year or so.

March 2016

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WBPI - the voice of the global panel industry
03 March 2016 Welcome to the first edition of WBPI in its brand new clothing.

December 2015

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Year of progress to be followed by year of cautious optimism
21 December 2015 So, we have come to the end of 2015 and the beginning of 2016, in the same issue of WBPI! The year 2015 was obviously over-shadowed by the ongoing economic problems of the Eurozone. Meanwhile, the United States continued its slow climb out of recession; and a resultant increase in the activity of the housing market. Unfortunately, this rebound was not as strong, or as smooth, as many predicted but at least it has continued to move in the right direction.