Södra's exports of sawn timber to Poland have increased 150 percent in 2016. Although Poland is not an entirely new market for Södra, it has grown rapidly in recent years and is interesting from various perspectives.

Construction timber accounts for the bulk of sales and there are several underlying reasons for the strong increase in exports. Timber house production is becoming increasingly popular in Poland, and Scandinavian timber has a good reputation. Scandinavian timber maintains an even quality, with less waste, so that customers get more for their money. But the increase is also due to the fact that Södra has chosen to invest more resources in this market.

"There is a high level of activity in Poland at present. Construction is on the increase and interest in sawn timber is growing," says Andreas Jonasson, Marketing Manager at Södra Wood. "In a short time, we have grown our market shares in this market, which is a clear indication that our product range is attractive from several perspectives. The products that are in demand in Poland belong to our core segment and are precisely those that we will focus on broadly and in the long term."

Customers are mainly interested in spruce in a variety of dimensions and lengths, in particular roof truss manufacturers and packaging customers.

For Södra's part, the Polish market has grown steadily in recent years. A real upswing was experienced in 2015 and this trend has persisted in 2016. Södra now accounts for more than 20 percent of total timber exports from Sweden to Poland.

"Naturally, it is very positive that more and more markets in the international arena are discovering what a fantastic material timber is," says Andreas Jonasson. "The forest is an unparalleled natural resource.

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