Sep 15, 2006. /Lesprom Network/. In 2005, Europe was the largest market for glulam at 1.9 million cubic meters, followed by the Asia-Pacific region with 1.5 million cubic meters and North America with 0.9 million cubic meters. In North America there is greater acceptance for laminated veneer lumber (LVL), another EWP. Glulam demand in Asia-Pacific is driven by Japan and China. Japan is both the largest consumer and producer of EWPs in the region, with glulam accounting for almost 48% of the consumption. Nearly one-third is imported from Indonesia, New Zealand, Malaysia and China. Since 2002, Japan’s glulam imports have risen almost 65%, with new supplies arriving from Russia. The wood-frame construction sector accounts for almost 60% of the new housing starts in Japan. The Japanese wood-frame sector has three sub-sectors: traditional post and beam construction, light-frame construction and pre-fabricated structures. Post and beam housing dominates the woodframe sector with a share of over 80%. The post and beam sub-sector in the Japanese residential construction sector was estimated to absorb around 86% of the imported glulam. The demand for glulam in China was estimated to be in the range of 150 000 cubic meters and was expected to surpass the 500 000 cubic meters level within the next few years.