By Simon Smith
Our French buyer Florence Duval has just returned from France this week. Florence has been finding new mills for us to buy from and her search has widened because of the difficulties in getting supply now back into the UK. We have had the fortunate circumstance for Florence to work for us from here in the UK. Florence has had 15 years working for French companies understanding grading, logs, and beams.
Flo, as she likes to be called, has been in the French Timber trade selling fresh sawn oak beams and boules to the UK and other European customers, and has been working to help us protect our supply base in the face of upcoming challenges.
Log shortage in both France and UK
“The rising exports of logs from France and Europe in general is risking the future of sawmills across the continent.” – Nicolas Douzain, Director of France’s National Timber Federation.
The French ONF, like our Forestry Commission, is under great pressure from Chinese log buyers out of Belgium – their agents in the ITS Group have been buying so heavily, that the French domestic market in some areas only have 2-month forward log supply.
The result? There has been a shortage of logs coming up for auction. One key area are the oak barrel makers – they too are buying at the top end of the market, taking all the A grade logs at inflated prices. Over the last few years, the barrel makers have been seen at the auctions buying oak and then re-selling the rejected logs to the sawmills – once the other way round!
Trade changes from January 2022
Of course, the impact of these shortages is substantial, and will have a knock on effect. The sawmill mills that Flo went to see was in effect was to protect us, maintain links and protect our supply base. In addition, however, they have all spoken about prices rises in January of somewhere between 7% and 12% – so offering prices forward, please beware on tenders and quotes. This is the news all across the northern part of France.
On her travels, Flo has opened negotiations with three “new†mills, two of which do not supply the UK at present. Flo has been going through grading rules with them and trying to get supply continuity for the 1st quarter of 2022, with the aim of reducing the impact this might have on us at WL West & Sons. Thankfully, we do suspect the situation may ease slightly beyond Easter 2022.
Florence in the W.L.West log yard
Protecting our log supply base
Fresh sawn oak is a major part of our business and to protect our supply base is essential for continuity of supply – especially to our specialty timber framers, restoration markets and new builds. We are also increasing our supply of boules, cutting in our new sawmill more this year than for several years, concentrating on buying more English Oak, with logs also from France too.
We’re very lucky to have Flo working hard within our team to reduce the impact on our business and our clients as much as possible over the coming tough months.
WL West & Sons Ltd is a timber merchant and sawmill business with 150 years of experience. We provide a wide range of air-dried oak and kiln-dried oak timber products and supplies. We also build and install custom projects for our customers.
Our wood products, building materials and certified wood are manufactured and sold with the endorsement of forest certification and the Forest Stewardship Council FSC
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