COLOMBIA - After a 23.1 percent drop in the first half of 2020, Colombian particleboard (PB / MDP) imports have rebounded strongly at the beginning of the subsequent semester.

Colombian imports of particleboard in July and August amounted to USD 11.8 million and 8.5 million respectively. The growth in July was a robust 47.3 percent, while in August they remained relatively stable (-2.7 percent). The import figures in these two months are in line with the historical averages prior to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Madecentro, given its wide market presence, was again the main importer, responsible for more than 60 percent of the total value imported by the Colombian market in the first eight months of 2020 (8M-2020). The chain of 150 stores specialized in supplies for the furniture and carpentry industry added purchases abroad of PB / MDP for USD 35.65 million in 8M-2020, USD 5.11 million below what it imported in the same period of the previous year (8M -2019: USD 40.77 million) and a year-on-year decrease of 12.6 percent.

The second place in the list of importing companies went to furniture manufacturer Maderkit, with imports of particleboard in 8M-2020 for USD 5.42 million, which represented an increase of 2.7 percent compared to 8M-2019 (USD 5.28 millions).

In the in 8M-2020 period Novopan del Ecuador is the leading supplier of particle board / MDP to Colombia, with shipments for USD 42.21 million in 8M-2020 (8M-2019: USD 46.89 million), which represented a 10 percent drop in comparison with the same period of the previous year.

This performance maintains Ecuador as the main PB / MDP supplier country to the Colombian market in the first eight months of 2020, followed by Chile (Arauco and Masisa); Brazil (Duratex and Berneck); and Spain (Tableros Hispanos).