EU imports of flooring products from tropical countries fell a further 4% to 19,700 MT in the first nine months of 2018, continuing a long term decline in response to tough competition from European and Chinese manufacturers and non-wood alternatives, fashion trends favouring temperate timbers, supply constraints, and challenges of EUTR conformance. The value of EU imports of wood flooring was more stable, at €45.7 million in the nine month period, only slightly less than €45.8 million in the same period last year.
This year, falling imports from traditionally the leading suppliers – Malaysia (-20% to 5,700 MT), Indonesia (-6% to 5,000 MT), and Brazil (-5% to 4,000 MT) – has been partially offset by rising imports from Vietnam(+47% to 2,600 MT), Bolivia (from near zero to 600 MT), and India (+187% to 300 MT).
In the first nine months of 2019, tropical wood flooring imports recovered a bit of ground in France (+25% to 5,400 MT), UK (+54% to 2,200 MT), and the Netherlands (+11% to 1,700 MT).
However, imports fell in most other significant European markets including Belgium (-3% to 2,500 MT), Italy (- 16% to 1,600 MT), Denmark (-38% to 1,500 MT), Germany (-17% to 1,400 MT), and Spain (-1% to 1,400 MT).