Rising pallet prices
The European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers (FEFPEB) has highlighted reports of increasing upward price pressure in recent months, as mixed market dynamics and supply constraints impact the market.
INDEPENDENT INDICES in several European countries, including France, Germany, and the UK, have shown significant increases in the past two quarters.
The German HPE index for pallet timber moved from 391.09 to 419.09 between January and April this year; while in France, the National Wood Federation (Fédération Nationale du Bois) said it expects global pressure on log prices to push the price of sawn timber upwards.
General uncertainty in the global marketplace has added complexity to the situation, such as newly introduced or anticipated US tariffs, leading to product stockpiling in some sectors and shifting patterns of trade. Meanwhile, positive signs in markets such as China, which have shown resilience, and factory output growing in the EU for the first time in two years, are counterbalanced by notable challenges, with significant contractions in Japan and the US, and lower business confidence dampening demand overall.
