BRAZIL – Data from IBA (Industria Brasileira de Árvores) confirms 2017 as a recovery year for Brazil’s wood panel industry.

In 2017 Brazilian panel manufacturers maintained an important 21.1% growth in wooden panel exports, reaching 1.27 million m3 (2016: 1.05 million m3). The value of Brazilian panel exports grew 15.6% to USD 289 million in 2017 (2016: USD 250 million). Latin America was the main regional export market for Brazilian wood panels with USD 151 million (2016: 136 million) followed by North America with USD 69 million (2016: 64 million).

Exports allowed Brazilian panel manufacturers to partially offset relatively weak 2017 domestic sales and consumption. Consolidated domestic sales in Brazil, for the January – December 2017 period, reached 6.48 million m3, an increase of 4% compared to the same period 2016 (6.23 million m3). Consolidated wooden panel consumption was up by 3.9% in 2017 (6.48 million m3) as compared to 2016 (6.24 million m3).

In December 2017 according to the IBA monthly report, Brazilian domestic sales and consumption of wood panels reached 522,000 m3, a 7.2% increase compared to December 2016 (487,000 m3). It was the sixth consecutive month of reported growth.