Japan Wood Products
Prices
Dollar Exchange Rates of
27th Feb. 2009
Japan Yen 97.60
Reports From Japan
Japan’s housing and plywood markets dip at end 2008
December 2008’s plywood imports and housing starts
dipped below December 2007 levels, reported the Japan
Lumber Journal (JLJ). Although housing starts fell by
5.8% compared to December 2007 levels, overall starts for
year 2008 rose by 3.1% over 2007 (Figure 1). The gains
were mostly contrasted with the poor results in 2007,
when the Revised Building Standards Act was
implemented.
Japan Lumber Reports (JLR) also noted a 24% fall in
plywood imports in December 2008 from December 2007
(Figure 2). The JLJ noted the total amount of plywood
imported in 2008 was 3.56 million m³, falling 11%
compared to the previous year. This was the lowest total
plywood import in 33 years, with 42% coming from
domestic sources. JLR also said two major plywood mills,
Seihoku and Seihoku Plywood had been raising sales
prices since early February by 50 yen per sheet. Mills have
been affected by low sales prices, so they have decided to
raise prices with tighter supply.
It was also reported the South Sea hardwood plywood
market was bottoming. Prices were up, as arrivals are
limited and inventories at ports were light. Log prices,
however, were expected to further drop as demand was
down. This will likely not apply to meranti, however, as
there has been a chronic supply shortage, but still enough
supply to meet demand. The overall plywood supply in
2008 was as follows:
|
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 |
|
|
|
