Japan’s total plywood supply in January was 515,500 cubic metres, 2.8% less than January 2017 and 4.6% more than December 2018, as ITTO reported.
Domestic production continued steady from beginning of the year with 258,400 cubic metres, 0.7% more and 2.4% less. Imported plywood supply in January was 257,000 cubic metres, 6.1% less and 12.8% more.
In domestic production, softwood was 247,500 cubic metres, 0.8% more and 2.1% less. In this, non-satructural panel production was 19,400 cubic metres, 25.6% more and 0.9% more. Despite decrease of total production, production of nonstructural panel maintained the same as December to respond to increasing orders of floor base by floor manufacturers.
Shipment of softwood plywood was 271,300 cubic metres, 7.6% more and 5.1% more. Shipment of non-structural plywood was 19,300 cubic metres, 22.5% more and 14% more. The inventories of softwood plywood were 114,200 cubic metres, 20,900 cubic metres drop from December. The inventories have been dropping for four straight months since last October after they increased to 179,300 cubic metres in September last year.
