GERMANY –  Raw material availability and regulatory pressure were central themes at the 2025 Annual General Meeting and Conference of the European Panel Federation (EPF), held at the Melia Berlin Hotel.

Key presentations were delivered by Stefan Zinn, board member of the EPF and representative of Pfleiderer, and Holger Lösch, executive board member of the Federation of German Industries, both addressing the future of the wood-based panels sector in the face of global challenges and ongoing industry transformation.

During the event, the EPF Annual Report 2024–2025 was released, confirming a 2.7% increase in European wood-based panel production, reaching 58.1 million m³. The final figure exceeded earlier projections presented at Interzum in May, which had forecast 1.9% growth (57.4 million m³). This follows a difficult year in 2023, when production declined by 6.2%.

Breakdown by product:

• Particleboard: up 1.5% to 31.3 million m³
• MDF: up 1.9% to 11.3 million m³
• OSB: up 5% to 7.1 million m³

Stefan Zinn described the current climate as highly challenging. “It is even more important to have clear guidance and strong support for the industry,” he stated. While affirming wood’s vital role in meeting carbon targets, Zinn criticized the unrealistic “zero everything” approach and stressed the need for reliable energy and market competitiveness.

He warned that excessive regulation and stringent emissions limits could lead to increased imports of low-cost Chinese furniture that does not meet the same environmental standards. “European and German regulation must be reasonable — we cannot allow it to destroy our industry,” he said.

Holger Lösch echoed this view, arguing that European policy was trying to do the impossible through regulatory “gymnastics,” driven by a deep distrust of businesses among policymakers. He warned that overregulation stifles innovation.

Matti Rantanen, the newly appointed Managing Director of the EPF, noted positive signs in the construction sector, with building permits up 14% at the end of 2024 and 5% in early 2025, reversing a long-term downward trend. However, he cautioned that overall economic sentiment remains negative.The furniture industry, after a 20% production decline from mid-2022 through 2024, showed a modest recovery in early 2025.

Rantanen concluded by noting that private consumption is currently the main growth engine in the EU27. He highlighted improving housing affordability, rising real wages, and falling interest rates as key indicators of a turning point in the European housing market.

Photo: EPF president Pablo Figueroa López, Kris Wijnendaele (EPF technical director), and new EPF MD Matti Rantanen