world news - 05.05.2003
Forest Industry Production in Finland in January-March 2003
The threat of war and then the war in Iraq further weakened the development
of the world economy, keeping demand for forest products slack. Consequently
plenty of capacity remained unused in the forest industry both in Finland and in
several other producer countries during the first quarter of 2003.
In the paper industry the market situation remained fairly difficult. In Finland
the operating rate of the capacity in the paper industry averaged 88% in
January-March (87% the year before). The situation varied from one grade to
another. Operating rate was higher and the market situation was better for
paperboard than for other grades. Paperboard production rose by nearly 6% while
paper production on average increased less, by 3% compared with the year before.
Production of newsprint and uncoated printing papers fell compared with the year
before while production of other grades rose. All in all paper and paperboard
production in the first quarter totalled nearly 3.3 million tons, up 3.5%
compared with the year before, mainly as a result of increased capacity.
Chemical pulp production totalled 1.9 million tons, up about 4% compared with
the year before. On the other hand, mechanical pulp production fell by 1%.
Sawn softwood production in the first quarter totalled 3.4 million cubic metres,
up 2% compared with the year before.
In the first quarter, plywood production was 340,000 cubic metres, as much as
18% higher than year before.
In January-March, the forest industry production as a whole in Finland rose by
1.3% compared with the year before.
See also:
- — Production output in Russia's timber industry complex grew 1.6% during the first quarter of 2003
- — Italy: Woodworking Machinery Orders Still Falling. The critical situation of global economy was once again confirmed by a significant decrease in orders (-11.1 percent from the same period of last year) that affected Italian woodworking machinery and technology in the first quarter of 2003.
- — Wood Processing Seminar in Russia. A seminar on a theme of “Complex processing of wood in conditions of the Far East” was carried out on March 12-13, 2003 at the Japanese center of Khabarovsk, Russia, under aegis of General consulate of Japan in Khabarovsk.
- — Holland: Laminated Hardwoods Get a Boost
- — Argentina: Devaluation Boost For Exports