Japan Wood Products
Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of
27th March 2010
Japan Yen 92.52
Reports From Japan
Supply of Chilean Radiata
Stocks of Chilean Radiata crating lumber in Japan will be
exhausted in a few months according to the Japan Lumber
Reports (JLR). Early replacement from Chile is unlikely as
the transport and shipping infrastructure in the country has
been badly damaged by the recent earthquake and tsunami.
Japanese importers have been looking for substitutes both
locally and internationally.
Japanese grown larch and cedar are possible substitutes
but domestic Japanese sawmills do not have much spare
capacity and are not very keen on diverting production to
low priced crating lumber. The JLR says that importers
have approached both New Zealand and N. American
mills in the hope of finding and alternative source of
crating lumber however this, so far, has come to nothing.
Chinese Poplar lumber and LVL have also been suggested
as possible alternatives to Chilean radiata but so far no
Chinese manufacturer has shown much interest in this
business, says the JLR.
January plywood supply
The JLR is reporting that January 2010 plywood imports
were 2.7% down on those for January 2009. Domestic
supply remained at about the same level but it was imports
that slumped. High FOB asking prices, particularly by
Malaysian and Indonesian producers, depressed Japanese
interest in imported plywood. Negotiations for resuming
purchases of SE Asian plywood have begun. The JLR
indicates that 3x6 concrete formboard plywood is likely to
be priced at Yen 40,000 per cubic metre C&F.
Overseas suppliers hold firm on pricing
The demand for imported plywood is currently
strengthening as inventories are very low and producers
have eased prices slightly to generate some sales.
However, the JLR reports that supply is still rather tight
and that there is unlikely to be any major downward price
revision in FOB prices any time soon.
JAS 3x6 concrete formboard is wholesaling at Yen 850-
870 per sheet, delivered, unchanged from February. Thin
and medium thin panel wholesale prices in Japan are also
unchanged on February levels, but tropical producers are
holding firm on their FOB price levels so the market is
gridlocked.
The JLR says that there was some panic buying of floor
base plywood as inventories in Japan had reached very
low levels.
On the domestic front, one major softwood plywood
producer has recently raised selling prices and refused to
accept lower offers. Last November, the market for
softwood plywood virtually collapsed and many
manufacturers in Japan cut back on production.
Aiming at 50% self sufficiency
A study group has proposed a major restructuring of the
forestry sector in Japan, says the JLR. The group,
comprising 32 major corporations and companies as well
as government agencies, is proposing a revitalisation of
the forestry and wood processing sector to eventually
achieve a 50% wood product self sufficiency level.
This, says the group, will involve major investment in new
and efficient processing capacity, coordination of
distribution and communications and possibly
infrastructure development. The objective is to have a
forestry production, harvesting and utilisation structure
which can profit from using all available wood resources
in the country whether these are logs, logging residues or
mill residues. The group recognises that promotion of the
use of wood will be required and that, in the words of the
JLR, “(it wil be necessary to achieve a) revolution of
consumers’ minds by public relations”
For the full JLR report see: www.n-mokuzai.com/english.htm
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Abbreviations
| LM Loyale Merchant, a grade of log parcel |
Cu.m
Cubic Metre |
| QS Qualite Superieure |
Koku 0.278 Cu.m or 120BF |
| CI Choix Industriel
|
FFR
French Franc |
| CE
Choix Economique |
SQ
Sawmill Quality |
| CS Choix Supplimentaire |
SSQ
Select Sawmill Quality |
| FOB Free-on-Board |
FAS Sawnwood Grade First and |
| KD Kiln Dry |
Second |
| AD Air Dry |
WBP Water and Boil Proof |
| Boule A Log Sawn Through and Through |
MR
Moisture Resistant |
|
the boards from one log are bundled |
pc per piece |
|
together |
ea
each |
| BB/CC Plywood
grades. Letter(s) on the left indicate face veneer(s), those on the right backing
veneer(s). Veneer grade decreases in order B, BB, C, CC, etc. |
MBF 1000 Board Feet
|
|
Plywood |
MDF Medium
Density Fibreboard |
| BF Board Foot |
F.CFA
CFA Franc
|
| Sq.Ft Square
Foot |
PHND
Pin hole no defect grade |
| Hoppus ton 1.8 cubic metres |
  Price has moved up or down |
|
|
|
