UK construction downturn impacts inflows of construction materials

Posted on May 14, 2024   |  

UK imports of primary product categories indicate a mere 0.2% increase in the initial 2 months of 2024 versus the corresponding period in 2023.

Despite this slight uptick, overall import quantities reflect a subdued trend, particularly within home construction and amid a sluggish economic environment.

Notably, plywood, OSB, and engineered wood products exhibit stronger import performance compared to the previous year, while solid wood imports experience a marginal 2% decrease.

The import of panel products records a nearly 5% uptick, primarily attributed to substantial increases in imported hardwood plywood, notably eucalyptus-faced plywood from China.

Softwood plywood imports, however, witness a significant decline of 23.8% compared to the same period in January–February 2023.