Setra's first delivery of planed timber went from Varberg, Sweden, to Port Canaveral in Florida and will be distributed to customers in the southeastern United States. Setra plans for regular deliveries to mainly Port Canaveral and Baltimore.
Setra's new planing mill in Hasselfors, Sweden, makes exports possible. Hasselfors mill began production in 2020 and will have the whole world as a market, with a total production of 300,000 m3 per year. Deliveries within Europe and to Australia are already underway.
“We have worked for this for many years and it is a great satisfaction now that it is finally concretized. Widening exports to the USA, which is the world's largest wood-consuming market, will give us greater flexibility and increased earning capacity,” says Olle Berg, EVP Market and Business Development at Setra.
Demand for high-quality timber is strong across the Atlantic. The timber deliveries have also been adapted to the specific lengths that are in demand in the USA and the production takes place according to the American certification system for strength.
The US market shows good long-term potential due to a neglected construction after the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2008. Approximately 90 million m2 of softwood is used per year in the USA. Construction of detached houses is now the highest in 14 years, which drives wood consumption
“It is an extensive process to start up sales in the USA and we hope to get a full exchange relatively immediately with this investment. Key factors are the staff's commitment and the good cooperation we have with our suppliers who supply Hasselfors with the right timber,” says Jonas Fintling, site manager at Hasselfors.
Setra is one of Sweden’s largest wood products companies and a leading player in Europe.
