EUROPE - According to the Wood Based Panels International (WBPI) magazine annual report on wood panel production capacity in Europe, Turkey has surpassed Germany to become the leading MDF producer in the region.

In the global ranking Turkey is now the world’s second largest MDF producer after the world leader, China.

In the 2016/17 period investments to further MDF production capacity in Turkey were undertaken, with three more plants under construction for start-up, adding 1.120.000 m3 capacity. These are Starwood Bursa with 400.000m3 capacity and Camsan Bodurlar Adapazari with 420.000m3 capacity– both now operational – and SFC Kronospan, with 300.000m3 production capacity and still under construction.

At the end on 2016 Turkey’s MDF/HDF production capacity was 6.8 million m3/year. Of that, approximately 500.000 m3 of MDF was exported, corresponding to about 13% of total production. The primary export market for Turkey’s MDF is Iran, followed by Iraq. Kastamonu Entegre is Turkey’s largest panel manufacturer and ranks among the Top 4 worldwide in MDF, particleboard, laminate flooring and door skins production.