BELGIUM - EPF, the European Wood-based Panels Federation, welcomed more than 150 participants to its Annual General Meeting 2022 on 29 June -1 July in Ghent Belgium.

EPF announced strong results from 2021, with an overall production increase of 9.8%.  All product types recorded increases from the previous year, and each exceeded pre-pandemic levels, showing the resilience of the sector and the growing interest of the public in nature-based materials such as panels.  However, it was noted that these results should be treated with caution in terms of how 2022 might develop.

Mr Martin Brettenthaler, EPF Chairman, commented: “Like the city of Ghent, our sector has always been innovative, dynamic and sustainable.  I am confident that this will help us to find opportunity in today’s turmoil, but this is no longer business as usual.  That is why we need our politicians to help secure the energy we need, and the wood we require, but not by burning the latter to supply the former.  That is not the solution either in the long, medium or short-term”.

Mr Martin Brettenthaler launched EPF’s 5 new Strategic Directions: Role Model Industry, Climate, Wood Availability, Harmonization and Regulation. These were accompanied by a short video and a fact sheet and may now be found on EPF’s website: www.europanels.org. The 5 Strategic Directions are the focus areas of EPF’s work in the coming years.