Tough Times Ahead for Wood Sector

In an interview with the Oulu newspaper Kaleva, Jordan indicated that it is probable that production in the sector will have to continue adapting to the poor economic climate.

"Prices are already at the limits of being painfully low. That means that temporary shutdowns are forthcoming, since wood processing companies are no longer producing products to fill up warehouses," said Jordan.

Jordan, who takes up the top spot at the Finnish Forest Industries Federation after the start of the new year, says the decision by Russia to delay higher wood export tariffs came a bit late because Russian timber is no longer competitive as a raw material. Finnish industries, he says, can manage with domestic timber supplies, as long as enough is made available.

According to Jordan, the wood forest industries sector is undergoing a structural change, but he is not ready to accept claims that it is fading away.