Wood Supply

Timber is sourced from many species of tree, but is generally specified for a particular end-use rather than species. The most common species used today are softwoods, such as pine and spruce, which are derived from coniferous (cone-bearing) trees. The majority of imported timber, about 82%, is softwood derived from forests located in Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia and the Baltic’s.

 

Timber from broad-leaved trees is referred to as hardwood; however this does not necessarily relate to the hardness of the timber but to the characteristics and structure of the wood. There are many different species of hardwood used for a variety of purposes. Hardwoods include species from temperate forests such as oak, birch, beech and poplar, as well as species from tropical forests such as meranti, okoume and teak.  Around 15% of Hardwood used in the UK derives from temperate forests in Europe and North America. The remainder, about 3%, is imported from tropical regions. For further information about countries which supply wood to the UK click here.

 

The ability of British forests to satisfy our timber needs is restricted due to their limited size, quality, volume and the species of timber they are capable of producing. There are also certain applications for which durability and high strength are critical, for example in civil engineering (bridges and sea defence works), where it’s hard to beat the properties of imported hardwoods.

 

In order to deliver wood from around the globe to the UK market place, efficient networks of supply chains have developed over many years. Follow this link for more information about these supply chains. Global supply of wood and wood products is also subject to many international trade agreements which are specifically designed to ensure and protect the future of our forests. Click here for more details about International Trade Agreements .