Sweden exported approximately 5.5 million cubic metres of sawn softwood products between January and May 2026. This was the lowest volume recorded for the period since 2019.

Sweden’s exports of sawn softwood products declined significantly during the first five months of the year. A total of approximately 5.5 million cubic metres was exported between January and May 2026, down 8 per cent compared with the same period a year earlier.

The export volume was also the lowest recorded for the first five months of a year since 2019, according to the Austrian industry publication Timber-Online.

The decline was driven primarily by substantially lower deliveries to the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. At the same time, exports to some markets in Central and Eastern Europe increased, partly offsetting the overall downturn.

The development highlights how Sweden’s sawmill industry is being affected by changing construction conditions and demand patterns in some of its most important export markets. Sweden is one of the world’s larger exporters of sawn timber products and is therefore heavily dependent on developments in international construction, renovation and timber trading.

Exports to the United States fell by 44 per cent
The largest percentage decline among the main markets covered by the statistics was recorded in exports to the United States. Between January and May, Swedish deliveries to the US fell by approximately 44 per cent compared with the same period in 2025.

Sweden exported around 326,000 cubic metres of sawn softwood products to the US market during the period.

In recent years, the United States has become a more important market for European sawmills, particularly during periods when the North American lumber market has been characterised by high prices and limited supply. The sharp decline in 2026, however, means that Swedish deliveries have fallen back from previous levels.

Exports to Japan also decreased markedly. Deliveries fell by approximately 23 per cent compared with the first five months of 2025.

Japan has long been an important market for Nordic structural timber and other wood products. The country’s high quality requirements have made the market attractive to Swedish sawmills, although exports are also influenced by trends in Japanese housing construction and competition from other major supplier countries.

United Kingdom remains the largest market
The United Kingdom retained its position as Sweden’s most important export market for sawn softwood products. According to Timber-Online, the country accounted for approximately 20 per cent of Sweden’s total exports during the period.

Deliveries to the United Kingdom totalled approximately 1.1 million cubic metres between January and May. This was around 6 per cent lower than during the same period a year earlier.

Despite the decline, the British market remained considerably larger than both the United States and Japan in terms of Swedish export volumes.

Swedish sawmills have long held a strong position in the United Kingdom, where timber is widely used in construction and domestic production is insufficient to meet demand. The country is therefore dependent on imports from Sweden, Finland, Latvia and other European producer countries.

However, the British construction market has come under pressure in recent years from high financing costs and weaker housing construction. A continued subdued construction market could therefore affect demand for imported timber products.

Exports increased to parts of Europe

The decline in the three major markets was partly offset by increased deliveries to some countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

The source material does not specify which individual countries accounted for the increase or how large the volume growth was. Nevertheless, the development suggests that Swedish sawmills have been able to redirect part of their exports as demand weakened in traditionally important markets.

The ability to find alternative buyers quickly is important for the sawmill industry, where production is capital-intensive and large inventories can tie up substantial amounts of capital. At the same time, a changing market mix can affect transport costs, product requirements and sales prices.

The lower export volume does not necessarily mean that the value of exports fell by the same amount. Export value is also influenced by timber prices, product quality, currency movements and the composition of the products sold. However, no figures for export value were included in the reported statistics.

For Swedish sawmills, the development means that competition for buyers could intensify if weakness in the major export markets continues. At the same time, increased deliveries to other European countries could help reduce dependence on individual markets.

The outcome for the remainder of 2026 will depend largely on construction activity in the United Kingdom, the United States and Japan, as well as on whether demand in Central and Eastern Europe continues to strengthen.
  
Source: pulpapernews.com