UK Timber shortage

SmallTown said:
Most of our wood seems to came from the EU.
www.forestresearch.gov.uk

2018 - Origin of wood imports - Forest Research

Table 3.8 presents data on the source of selected wood products that have been imported into the UK in 2017. Sawn softwood, particleboard, fibreboard, and paper and paperboard were overwhelmingly imported from EU countries in 2017 (Table 3.8): Sweden (42%), Latvia (16%) and Finland (14%)...
www.forestresearch.gov.uk www.forestresearch.gov.uk
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What is it you need building and how much wood do you need?
 
But the problem is that it’s a worldwide shortage and the prices have gone up by at least 50%. So not just our problem here in the UK Brexit or not.
 
SmallTown said:
I saw that about North America. No one has explained to me how that affects us, who get most of their timber from the EU
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USA means next to zero to us for timber, we're reliant on Europe, or should be as far as sustainability goes.

The problem is we're 100,000 lorry drivers short (largely due to brexit), that's not helping, and we can't get more largely due to covid, and the transport minister won't change the policy. Loads of wagons, no drivers and a lack of labour.

The timber is still there, trees didn't stop growing, and loggers have always been ok to work outside (just like construction), whether the logs made it to the mill or not and whether they've not been through the mill (albeit the mills are working), is irrelevant. It needs moving and there's nobody to move it, and the least likely place to get it, is us, as we don't have much of our own, and certainly don't have the transport to collect wood, especially when we don't have enough transport to collect food.

The small independent shops are literally driving to suppliers to pick up their own food, as there's no drivers to deliver it.

Don't fancy many peoples chances of getting some rafters in the boot of their car.
 
Spraggons Den said:
But the problem is that it’s a worldwide shortage and the prices have gone up by at least 50%. So not just our problem here in the UK Brexit or not.
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Covid started the problem, Brexit magnified the problem due to market and customs issues and then magnified it again when there's a fight for drivers all over the EU, and we're saying we don't want any EU drivers (instanity).
 
But it’s a worldwide shortage of timber not just the UK. Europe might have enough for themselves for the time being but the rest of the world is really suffering according to the report on the BBC. Hence the BBC report on a worldwide shortage not a just a UK shortage.
 
I’m over in France at the moment and today drove up towards Bordeaux on the A63, it must one of the busiest roads I have ever drove on and full of wagons coming up from Spain, Portugal and Southern France. I would say there was wagons of every European nationality on the road and every third wagon had similar messages - ‘recruiting drivers.’

It seems to be a European issue and not just Brexit.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
I’m over in France at the moment and today drove up towards Bordeaux on the A63, it must one of the busiest roads I have ever drove on and full of wagons coming up from Spain, Portugal and Southern France. I would say there was wagons of every European nationality on the road and every third wagon had similar messages - ‘recruiting drivers.’

It seems to be a European issue and not just Brexit.
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In the UK it's a shortage of about 15% but there are shortages across the EU as well.
Screenshot_20210804-202208.jpg
 
SmallTown said:
Genuine question: why is it not an EU issue? Given most of our Timber is imported from the EU:
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Quite a lot of our timber comes from USA and the USA is the biggest user, if they can't get it in their own country they will import it in, creating shortages in the world market including European markets.

An example of USA exports to the UK is DRAX power station. I beleive its still the biggest power station in Europe but its been converted to wood chips from coal. The wood chips nearly all come from timber grown in the USA - I think North Carolina mainly. Drax has a long term contract for severla forests over there. I saw a news story about it 12 months back. Possibly the quality of the North American timber is better than the conifers from Scandinavia.

We should grow more timber in this country as we have the right climate for many trees. I guess our land is better used for other higher value uses.
 
Ref Driver shortage - there has been no driving tests of Lorry drivers for 17 months, in the UK. Quite a few have retired and there are no new ones. Its probably true in many countries, plus self-isolation, staying at home looking after the kids etc

If timber and driver shortages are caused by Brexit, is Brexit causing the electronic chip shortages in the UK too? And I better add Cement now.

I do think Brexit will reduce the supply of young people working in hospitality, but it was happening before Brexit. Young people will only come here if the disposable incomes are significantly higher than in their own country and possibly a chance to improve their English which can be an asset if they return to their home country and go in live in the USA.

Covid has also had an impact on people leaving the UK. Some people have left to be close to their extended families and have not returned.

Sorry to say UK employers will have train more staff and pay them more and basically make the job more attractive. It will be a wake up call for some employers who are used to poaching staff, treating staff poorly or paying the minimum legal amounts and even resenting that. While paying their CEOs multi million pound salaries.
 
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