MEXICO – The three new MDF plants installed in Mexico by Proteak, Duraplay and Masisa – now Arauco – since 2016 are now fully operational and the process of import substitution of MDF panels in the Mexican market has advanced.

According to industry estimates, 90.5% of MDF consumed in Mexico was previously imported – mainly from Chile and Brazil – and as a result, logistic costs represented a significant percentage of the price paid by distributors.

This, together with low per capita comsumption and a high comparative usage of solid wood in the furniture manufacturing industry, explains why the Mexican MDF market was perceived as very under-developed in comparison to countries such as Brazil, Chile and Argentina.

In 2015 Mexican MDF imports reached USD 221.3 million and have been gradually descending reaching USD 144.6 million in 2018. In this period Mexican MDF imports from Chile, Brazil and the United States have gone down 63%, 14% and 27% respectively.

Total nominal production capacity of the new MDF is estimated to be 735,000m3/year. The main incentive for these three companies, which in total have invested more than USD 400 million in continous process manufacturing , is the very promising outlook of the Mexican market.