Wood panel industry raises awareness of challenges facing its sector
11 October 2018Representatives of the UK's wood panel sector have met with politicians to discuss challenges facing its industry.
An expert working group has been set up by the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Wood Panel Industry and industry members, Norbord, Kronospan and Egger. A report will be prepared for the APPG to inform members in their discussions with ministers.
The working group discussed the challenges faced by the wood panel sector as a result of the lack of security of domestic wood supply; the impact of the biomass industry on the availability of wood to work with; and how the industry will meet UK demand for wood panel products post Brexit. Both the working group and APPG are chaired by Stirling MP, Stephen Kerr.
Alastair Kerr, director general of the Wood Panel Industries Federation (WPIF), said: “Maintaining a positive wood supply balance throughout the year is crucial to members’ businesses, so it’s important that we’re involved in discussion around the supply issues facing the sector.
“The expert group will develop policy proposals that will help to support the sector and the industries it feeds into, including construction, furniture, packaging and transport.”
The wood panel manufacturing sector currently uses the equivalent of 25% of the 11 million tons of wood delivered from UK forestry every year, with WPIF members supplying approximately 65% of the total UK annual consumption of wood based panels.
