Forest Products Industry

The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association says wood construction should be recognised as part of Finland’s sustainable growth, competitiveness and clean transition investments. Source Fordaq The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association has called for wood construction to be placed more firmly at the centre of Finland’s sustainable economic growth, competitiveness and clean transition investments. In comments prepared for Ministry of Employment and Economy officials’ talks, the association said Finland has a strong forest and sawmill industry base, supported by renewable domestic raw material. According to the association, this base can support higher value-added business, exports and regional vitality. The association said the growth of wood construction can increase the value added of domestic wood and strengthen investments, exports and employment across Finland. It also said that the use of domestic wood in construction should be increased more widely, beyond wood construction alone. The association said the growth of the wood construction market should be seen as part of Finland’s competitiveness, industrial policy and low-carbon built environment. In its view, wood construction offers a concrete way to combine climate goals, eco-nomic growth, investments, exports and regional vitality. It also highlighted the role of wood in construction quality, comfort and user-friendliness, noting that research shows people feel comfortable in wood-based buildings and perceive wood as a pleasant material in housing and public spaces. The association emphasized that a long-term and predictable operating environment is a key prerequisite for investments, innovations and the growth of higher value-added wood-based solutions. The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association presented five key proposals for strengthening wood construction in Finland. Introduce life-cycle-based carbon limits for buildings. Increase the use of wood in public construction and public procurement. Direct RDI funding towards wood construction innovations and new wood construction solutions. Strengthen training and expertise in timber construction at all levels of education. Launch a national timber construction programme led by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, supported by a high-level cross-administrative steering group.   According to the association, Finland is not yet fully using the potential of wood construction and wood use to strengthen the added value of domestic wood, investments and regional vitality. It said the use of wood in construction has decreased significantly in Finland over the past 20 years. Wood construction is also still growing too slowly in relation to national climate, growth and export targets. The association said the current regulatory and market environment does not sufficiently support the growth of wood construction or the wider use of wood in construction. The association said Finland needs new high value uses for domestic wood, and that wood construction represents a significant opportunity. It added that the sector can increase investments, exports and employment throughout the country. While wood construction has been promoted in several government programmes and strategies, the association said practical measures and their effectiveness have remained fragmented. It called for more long-term and cross-administrative implementation to grow the wood construction market. Proposed solutions include creating a predictable operating environment, using public procurement to develop the market, directing RDI funding towards new wood construction solutions, and developing regulation and permitting processes in a way that enables investments. The association said the share of wood construction in Finland is still growing too slowly in relation to climate, investment and employment goals. Slow market development, it said, weakens the opportunity to create new jobs, in-crease investments and raise the value added of domestic wood in Finland. It also limits opportunities to strengthen regional vitality and exports linked to wood construction and wood products. To address this, the association called for stronger timber construction teaching at different levels of education, closer cooperation between universities, educational institutions and companies, and better availability of skilled labour for the expected growth of wood construction. The Finnish Sawmilling Industry Association also linked wood construction to Finland’s climate goals and clean transition investments. It said emission reductions in the built environment are progressing too slowly and that the potential of wood construction is not being fully used as part of climate, in-vestment and industrial policy. The association called for construction guidance to take account of buildings’ cli-mate impacts across their full life cycle. It also said the potential of wood construction to reduce life-cycle emissions and act as long-term carbon storage in the building stock should be recognised. It added that substitution effects of materials should be considered as part of the climate impacts of construction. In its final remarks, the association said the growth of wood construction can strengthen Finland’s competitiveness, increase investments and raise the added value of domestic wood products. It said the same growth can also support regional vitality, employment and exports throughout Finland. The association concluded that Finland has excellent conditions to increase the share of wood construction as part of sustainable economic growth and competitive industrial policy, but that a long-term and predictable operating environment will be essential for new investment.  

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Spruce has long been the default choice in the Swedish construction sector. However, interest in pine as a structural timber is now growing both within the sawmill industry and among construction stakeholders. Source: Timberbiz According to Norra Timber, this shift is about broadening the perception of which timber species can be used in construction and creating greater flexibility at a time when raw material availability is changing. “It is the strength class that determines performance, not the species itself. Properly graded and strength-classified pine performs just as well as spruce in structural applications,” said Erik Högbom, Sales Director for Building Products at Norra Timber. The industry body Svenskt Trä has also highlighted that pine has significant untapped potential in construction, and several Swedish sawmills are now expanding their product portfolios with pine-based structural products. In Sweden, spruce has traditionally dominated structural timber applications, largely due to convention. However, when timber is graded to strength classes such as C24, both pine and spruce meet the same technical requirements for load-bearing structures. Both species are already used in applications ranging from roof trusses to floor joists. “Spruce has become the norm more out of habit than technical necessity. By also using pine, the construction industry gains access to equivalent alternatives and a broader supply base,” said Mr Högbom. For builders’ merchants and contractors, this means greater flexibility to plan projects based on availability and demand, rather than relying on a single species. “We are seeing a clear increase in demand for pine studs. Many customers value the ability to choose between equivalent options, strengthening both supply security and competitiveness in their projects,” he said. This development is also driven by changes in raw material availability. In recent years, spruce supply has been affected by factors such as bark beetle infestations, storm damage and strong demand across Europe, while the availability of pine has increased. As a result, more stakeholders are reassessing how different timber species are utilised. A broader use of pine can also contribute to more efficient resource utilisation across both forestry and the wood processing industry. “When both pine and spruce are used in structural applications, we make better use of the forest resource and strengthen the long-term availability of structural timber,” Mr Högbom said. According to Norra Timber, advances in sawmilling technology, kiln drying and grading processes have also played a key role in changing perceptions of pine as a structural material. Modern quality control systems now deliver a more consistent and predictable product than in the past. “A lot has changed over the past decade. With today’s production methods and quality control, pine studs are a highly consistent, high-performance product – making pine just as suitable as spruce for structural use,” Mr Högbom said.

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Canada’s Ontario government is investing more than Can$14 million to build a modern, digital system to inventory the province’s forest resources, giving industry access to better information to invest, grow and create jobs. Source: Timberbiz As part of the government’s plan to protect Ontario, this investment will modernize the Forest Resources Inventory (FRI) Information Management System, the essential database of Ontario’s managed forests, by replacing outdated systems with cutting-edge technology to make critical forest data more accurate, accessible and easier to use. “Ontario’s forest sector is a key economic driver that supports good-paying jobs and the workers and communities that depend on them across the province,” said Kevin Holland, Associate Minister of Forestry and Forest Products. “As a leader in advanced forest inventory technology, Ontario is equipping industry with the data it needs to stay competitive, make faster decisions and establish the regulatory framework needed to support long-term growth.” Through a strategic partnership with Microsoft, powered by Databricks technology, the province is developing customized digital tools to modernize how Ontario collects, stores and shares forest inventory information, strengthening the sector’s long-term competitiveness and resilience in the global economy. “Microsoft Canada is incredibly proud to have partnered on the Forest Resource Inventory (FRI), helping transform vast, growing volumes of forest data into accessible, actionable insights. The FRI is critical to enabling sustainable forest management, driving innovation, and supporting the long-term health and growth of Ontario’s forestry sector,” Robert Wood Microsoft said. This work is a key commitment in the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, Ontario’s 10-year plan to defend forestry workers and businesses, adapt to global market pressures and grow long-term demand for Ontario wood products. Historically, a forest resources inventory was produced using static, digital images stored on physical drives. By leveraging cutting-edge lidar technology, a sophisticated remote-sensing tool that measures distances using laser pulses of light, Ontario can capture precise information about forest structure and ground elevation, some individual tree characteristics and three-dimensional views of forest landscapes. This provides a far more detailed and accurate picture of Ontario’s forests than was previously possible. This investment will support the secure storage and analysis of more than 3,700 terabytes of lidar data on a cloud-based, secure data platform, more than eight times the amount of data stored in NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope data archive. In addition to supporting forest industry, this inventory plays a vital role in informing broader natural resource management decisions including land-scape analysis, land use planning decisions and wildfire management. “This investment puts better tools in the hands of the people who manage and depend on Ontario’s forests,” said Mike Harris, Minister of Natural Resources. “By investing in this innovation, we’re giving the forestry sector clearer, more reliable information to plan ahead, reduce operational burden and make confident decisions that will drive growth and protect the land and resources Ontarians depend on, today and for generations to come.” Guided by the Roadmap to Protecting Ontario’s Forest Sector, modernizing the Forest Resources Inventory and cutting red tape are essential to keeping Ontario’s forest sector strong and competitive. Reliable forest data gives industry the confidence to invest, create jobs and build a more resilient sector for workers and communities across Ontario.

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Dangerous incidents involving trailers unintentionally disconnecting from heavy vehicles have doubled compared with the same time last year, with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator issuing an urgent warning to operators. Source: Timberbiz National data collected by the NHVR shows a clear rise in the number of potentially critical incidents, with 8 trailer drop incidents already recorded in 2026, as well as one serious injury from a crash. In April 2025 there was a fatal crash in New South Wales when a dolly and two rear trailers became detached from the lead trailer. NHVR Chief Operations Officer Paul Salvati said while the heavy vehicle industry was doing it tough at the moment, safety needed to remain the number one priority. “We know it is a challenging time for many people and heavy vehicle drivers play a crucial role in keeping our country moving, however safety standards are critical,” he said. “Our data shows an increase in heavy vehicle incidents due to unplanned trailer drops and decoupling events, which we know can be minimised by drivers taking steps like conducting pre‑start checks before every journey. “Drivers must be trained in the safe system of work and a failure to check vehicles and trailers thoroughly can create serious safety risks for drivers on the road.” Key contributing factors to crashes and fatalities included mechanical wear or failure, operator error or distraction, improper loading and dynamic forces on combinations. Drivers are urged to follow a checklist before getting behind the wheel of a heavy vehicle, including: Undertaking a thorough visual inspection of couplings – including drawbars and towbars – and removing any covers or protective plates to check for wear, dam-age, or defects and reporting any issues before moving the combination Ensuring coupling components are clean and free from dirt or debris which may prevent proper engagement of couplings or locking mechanisms Ensuring all air lines, electrical cables and safety chains are correctly secured and operational before departure Conducting a walk around of the combination and complete a final visual check Performing a tug test prior to departure.   Mr Salvati said without proper cautions taken, members of the heavy vehicle industry risked contributing to serious crashes or road fatalities. “These factors can significantly increase safety risks, particularly on high-speed roads where a trailer loss can have severe consequences for both the driver and other road us-ers if the trailer is dropped and it causes a hazard on the road,” he said. “This can lead to crashes, or worse – fatalities – when a driver hits, or swerves to miss a dropped trailer. “It’s important all of industry takes this issue seriously so everyone can return home safely to their families at the end of the day.” From July 2024 to April 2026, the NHVR identified a total of 26 trailer drop incidents across its regulated jurisdictions. Mr Salvati warned that while the NHVR was aware of increasing incidents, many more could occur without being reported. “If anyone is concerned about safety or the potential for a trailer-related crash to occur, they can speak anonymously to the NHVR’s Heavy Vehicle Confidential Reporting Line,” he said. Issues can be reported by phoning 1800 931 785 or online through the NHVR website at www.nhvr.gov.au/hvcrl

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The New Zealand Government is investing in rural productivity by supercharging efforts to tackle the spread of wilding pines, according to Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard. Source: Timberbiz “Wilding pines threaten productive farmland, water supplies in sensitive catchments, and native biodiversity and they significantly increase the impact of wildfires,” Mr Hoggard said. “Budget 2026 invests an additional NZ$79 million over the next three years, taking the total commitment to NZ$109 million, so we can ramp up control work and get ahead of the spread. This is a smart investment in rural productivity and will back those working hard on-the-ground to contain wildings.” More than two million hectares of New Zealand are affected by wilding infestations, with untreated areas expanding by an estimated five per cent a year. The National Wilding Conifer Control Program has received more than NZ$175m in government funding over the past decade, alongside more than NZ$38m contributed by partners and communities. “This Budget 2026 increase in funding is about boosting that momentum and backing the long-term resilience of rural communitiesm,” Mr Hoggard said. “We’re supporting regional councils, iwi, farmers, researchers, and volunteers who are making a real difference across nine priority regions, including Canterbury, Otago, and Marlborough.” About NZ$30m of the funding over three years will be provided through the International Visitor Levy. “Tourism is a key part of our plan to grow the economy and create jobs, lift wages, and help kiwis get ahead. This funding will help protect our unique natural environment from the spread of wilding pines,” Mr Hoggard said. The program is led by Biosecurity New Zealand and delivered in partnership with councils, landowners, iwi, industry, community groups, and other government agencies. In addition to the significant funding boost, MPI will begin developing a National Pest Management Plan for on-going control of wilding conifers. “This will further strengthen national coordination of wildings management, ensuring efficient and effective control work and establishing nationally consistent rules to prevent their further spread,” Mr Hoggard said.

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